Together Forever (Sequel to You Know I Love You)
by Carebearmaxi
Summary: Takes place after 4th season; however, Harvey and Donna are together. Only Harvey and Donna wonder if they should continue to work together. Jessica is leery of it, but knows they are dynamic. Do Donna and Harvey continue to work together or does Donna still decide to work for Louis? Their relationship is complicated already, what will living and working together do?
1. Chapter 1

Together Forever (Sequel to You Know I Love You)

Chapter 1

Harvey was in Jessica's office telling her of how it was now between he and Donna. Rumors had been flying for weeks but the only ones who truly knew besides he and Donna were Rachel and Mike, of course. Mike, of course, teased him relentlessly but knew when Harvey had had enough.

"Well, it's about goddamn time, Harvey. I wondered how much longer you were going to make the woman wait for you. Twelve years is it? Wow, she really loves your sorry ass. You wouldn't see me stick around for that long," Jessica said sitting staring at her partner across the desk.

"Bullshit. You love me, too," Harvey smiled and laughed at Jessica's remarks.

Jessica then smiled and laughed, too. "Well, I'm happy for you both. Now get out of my office and do some work," Jessica said as Harvey rose from his seat.

"Oh, and Harvey..."

"Yes."

"Good job finally landing that client!" Jessica said and smiled genuinely at rare good news which Harvey had to report.

Harvey just silently nodded. He played with his cufflink for a moment and then walked out Jessica's door back to his own.

 _I wonder how Jessica will take it. Harvey and I together, as a legal team, were almost invincible. But as lovers as well? I know the by-laws said we should not be allowed to work together. Maybe it would be better if I moved from his desk now that I have him as mine?_

"Hey, Harvey," Donna called as he approached his lavish corner office.

"Hey, beautiful, what can I do for you?" Harvey said smiling at Donna for maybe the umpteenth time that morning.

 _Why did I do that? This is the firm and I know Donna hates for me to do anything unprofessional in the office. I know that was why she had that rule. It protected her personally and professionally. I can't help it. I love her and I have a right to call her that. She is beautiful, after all._

"Harvey...please. You know how I feel about that language in the office," Donna admonished Harvey lightly. He came behind her desk and she felt his hands go around her waist.

"Well, then, step into my office, Ms. Paulsen," Harvey said as Donna rose from her chair with Harvey's hand never leaving her waist but moving to the small of her back.

After entering through the glass doors and shutting them behind them, Donna stood there looking at Harvey's handsome face and could not help smiling at his wicked smile.

 _Oh my word! He wants to do it right now in his office. That's his "I am so hard smile that I gotta have relief " smile. I know it is. The last time I saw directed at me was almost twelve years ago when I showed him the can of whipped cream in my hand._

"Harvey. How did Jessica take the news? Is she going to allow us to continue to work together?"

Harvey kissed her on the forehead and said, "I don't know. She didn't say. She did say that she was happy for us."

At Donna's questioning look, Harvey's demeanor deflated visibly.

"Donna, please don't do what I think you're going to do."

Donna bit her lip. "Which is?" _He knows before I even have to say it._

"Don't leave my desk. I need you professionally and I need you and want you personally. I'm selfish. I always have been," Harvey reasoned as he saw Donna's recognition.

"Well, you would still have me personally. I can find a good legal secretary for you. I would still be here just not twelve feet away," Donna said.

 _She can't do this to me. I could never get used to another secretary. She's spoiled me for anyone else...that goes personally as well. Mmmm..._

"Why don't we talk to Jessica together and see what she thinks. I am a name partner you know, so I can do and work with whomever I want," said Harvey puffing out his chest.

"Right. That's why you were in there telling her of us without me. You did not want me to hear a lecture on that you shouldn't eat where you poop." Donna was worried that Harvey had not thought out the situation.

"Donna. Tell me one thing. Who was the poop in that scenario? Ok. Not funny," Harvey said and kissed her before he sat down behind his desk. "We've always been close and now we're closer. What difference will it make? Everybody thinks we've been together for a long time anyway," Harvey reasoned.

 _Harvey, how I love you._

"Ok, we'll try it. I'm sure that, though, we have to agree that anything personal behind us does not get dragged in here and impede us being the "dynamic duo", Donna said as she air quoted dynamic duo.

"Ok, Robin, agreed."

"Robin? I'm Batman," Donna said with a disdained laugh.

"May I remind you you're the redhead," Harvey said rising once again and stood before her. He could not help himself and kissed her forehead again and then took her in his arms to hold her for a minute.

"We're in my office. No one can see us, ok?" Harvey said.

An hour later, Mr. Leonard Johnson, of Johnson and Bayer, a client Harvey had originally been assigned when one of the older senior partners bit the dust a few years ago sat across from him and had actually noticed the lighter demeanor in Harvey. Leonard Johnson, a happily married man with three children, then took a look at Donna and at once knew that they finally were together.

"So when do we expect an invitation?"

Harvey looked up shocked with creases in forehead, "Invitations? To what exactly?"

"Your wedding to your lovely secretary out there," Mr. "L" (as he was known to his employees) pointed.

"No. We're not..." Harvey tried to deny.

"There's no shame in marrying your secretary. How did you think I wound up married?" Leonard said with a big smile.

"Charlotte worked for you?"

"Are you kidding? She did all the work and pep talks, too. I'll tell you if it hadn't been for that wife of mine I probably would have had no business at all."

Harvey smirked and smothered a quick smile. _It was almost like he knew what my relationship with Donna has been. I never mind sharing anything with her because without her I would never have been this successful._

"You just described our relationship to a "T"."

"Then you'd better marry her because women like her are very rare."

Harvey stood up and handed the papers to Leonard. "These are in order and when I hear from the other company's lawyer about their response to the proposal I will have Donna set up a conference between us and them."

The two professionals shook hands.

As Leonard Johnson was walking away, Harvey said, "Hey, Lenny, when did Charlotte stop working for you?"

"When the kids came along. It was hard when they were born but she continued to work off and on as they grew."

"Can I ask you another question?" Harvey asked. _Odd of me to be asking questions like this, but I have to know._

Leonard turned back. "Sure. What do you want to know?"

"Did it get difficult working and living together? Did the two sometimes bleed into the other?"

Leonard bowed his head. "Yes, but that's when we would take a breath and say work is work and stays there and home is home and it stays there. Unless it was something to do with one of the children then it didn't matter when. Does that answer your question?"

Harvey nodded. "Yes. Thank you, again, Lenny"

"Sure. See you when the other side makes their decision."

Harvey watched Lenny Johnson out the door. _He's kissing Donna's hand and she's blushing? He must have congratulated her for our new relationship. Weird. I'm not sure I like another man even a client kissing my girlfriend's hand. Oh, damn it, Harvey you never liked her dating other men at all even when she was just your friend and secretary..._

Donna came into Harvey's office to retrieve their copies of the merger papers and to type per Harvey's instructions the next batch of letters to the Johnson's prospective partner.

"Everything ok?"

Harvey stared at her with pensive eyes. "Yes."

"Do you want to talk about it?" Donna asked in the way that she knew might open him up to her. Nothing much had changed in that department except she never had to pull too long before he would relent and they would discuss what the issue was holding him back.

"Not here." Harvey said.

"What do you mean, not here? We have all our meaningful conversations here," Donna said.

"How about at home?"

"Which is where at the moment? Your condo? We've spent the last few weeks there and I must say the last thing we wind up doing there is talking," Donna said lowly and seductively trying to flirt with her man.

"Donna, this is serious. It's personal so I think we should do it at home...your place."

"Okay, Harvey. My place after work. Are we staying tonight or..." Donna asked.

"No you can go home first. Just call Ray he can take you back to your place. I'm sure you'll want a change of clothes anyway. You were saying this morning you were going to have to stop at your place anyway."

Donna looked away puzzled as if their relationship was turning back to the one where they secretly yearned for each other and Harvey was too scared to mix things.

 _I will not let him see how he is getting to me with his stonewall behavior."_

"Ok. Harvey. What time should I expect you?"

"Around 9:30"

"9:30 ? Okay, Harvey. You have your key, right? In case I'm in the bathtub?" Donna asked pissed. She turned on her heel so swiftly that Harvey knew as he watched her that he had hit a nerve.

 _Oh, God, please let her know that I didn't mean to be so businesslike. I just want to sort out whether she should work with me now or whether I should let her go elsewhere so we're not always on top of one another. Could I bear that? Is that what she thinks is right? What did I do? Did I fuck up already? It's only been three weeks!_


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note: I am trying to make this not so long as my other fics and a little more fluffy. Still a few chapters to go, though.- CC R &R please**

You Know I Love You (Seq)

Chapter 2-Are We Or Aren't We?

Harvey looked up at the numbers on the apartment door. He smiled ruefully looking forward to seeing his girlfriend in her habitat. So much occurred in this apartment in the last few weeks. That other time seemed a lifetime ago and so did the whole Libety Rail incident. Harvey always felt at home here; and he was just realizing that wherever Donna's home existed, his home was there also. He placed his new key in the keyhole and then before he pushed the door open he frowned. He really was hoping that his arguments for her remaining at his desk would compensate their difficult leaving this afternoon after his client left.

He pushed open the door and was surprised to see Donna not sitting on her couch and falling asleep during one of her women's shows. The last three weeks Harvey had been introduced to more cable TV shows than he knew ever existed. Harvey preferred to binge watch movies when he was home to watch movies. Lately, in all honesty, neither one of them had bingewatched much of anything except each other.

"Donna!" Harvey called. He looked at his watch. It read 9:30 pm. Right on time like he said he would.

"I'm in here, Harvey," Donna called from her bedroom.

Harvey found her sitting up in bed. She had a glass of wine sitting on the nightstand. She must have been feeling a little melancholy because she always drank dark red wine when she was feeling emotional. Harvey had his Scotch and Donna had her wine.

"Hey, in bed already?" Harvey came over to her side of the bed and kissed her. He placed his forehead on hers affectionately for a moment and sighed heavily in relief.

When he pulled back, Donna opened her eyes and looked at him. She stroked the side of his face and left her hand rest cupping his jawline. She stared into those deep chocolate depths and smiled sarcastically.

"You were scared I wasn't going to be here, weren't you?"

Harvey retreated all the way back and began to remove his jacket and loosen his tie.

"No, I knew you'd be here... yes. I'm sorry about earlier," Harvey said giving her his apologetic smile and leaned his head to the side.

"That's ok. I figured something had you agitated when Mr. L left. He's one of those assume we were always together."

"He did? I just confessed to him today. Did you know that his wife was his secretary?"

"Yes. I have had to speak to Charlotte on a couple of occasions." Donna sipped her wine and comfortably watched Harvey as he undressed. He stopped at his undershirt leaving it on and then taking off his suit pants he pulled on a pair of pajama pants.

"Did you eat?" Harvey asked as he turned to Donna. He noticed she had not wanted any food from "that shitty Thai place" that she had been pushing on him and he had been thoughtlessly consuming for over ten years.

"Just had a soup and a sandwich. Did you eat?" Donna asked Harvey as he came to sit on what had become his side of the bed. He looked at Donna and she looked back at Harvey.

"You want me to stay at your desk, don't you?" Donna stated to Harvey.

"How did you know that's what was bothering me? You really seemed like you think you should leave me"

"I'm Donna. Also I know my decision on what is best for our relationship concerning work and home has been bothering me, so I know it's been bothering you."

Harvey lie down turning on his side and propped his head up with a bunched up pillow. He gently removed the magazine from Donna's hand and held her hands in his free hand.

"Donna, who's afraid now of how this relationship will not get screwed up? I know I'm the main culprit. I'm not very good at this."

Donna lowered her head and looked at their clasped hands and she placed one hand over the top of both of his and hers. _How do I tell him? I'm afraid this time. For the last three weeks things have been blissful both here and at the office but we both know that's not going to last. I love him so much, but I know something will drive a wedge between us. Some argument will either start at home and continue at work or vice versa. I know we love each other but is it a good enough love to see through bad times now that we can touch and be open one with the other? I don't know and I know for sure Harvey doesn't. This is all new to him as well._

"Harvey, I just want to say that the last three weeks I have never been happier. But I know what you think and I think the same thing. We want to work together and live together and love but conflicts are bound to arise. We just have to solve them. We have to leave what is home at home and not let it interfere with our office dynamic. Anything at the firm needs to stay at the firm and not rehashing at night when we should be doing more important things like being together in whatever way we want to be."

"That sounds like the same advice I got from Lenny today when I confirmed our relationship was more than just a working one."

"He and Charlotte have been married over twenty years, so they must have worked out some system. So, I will stay on for right now; but if it gets too much and we have a shutdown in our relationship where we stop being honest with each other, then I will move from your desk to someone else's. Anyone would kill to have me. You know that."

"Yes. I know who would be first on the list if he could find a way to trade Norma," Harvey said with a chuckle.

"Louis? I'm not so sure I would want to move there. He and I are friends...not like you and I were friends...but friends."

"I couldn't bear to see you work for that overweening, overbearing, twit."

"Harvey! He really admires you so much. That's why he seems to be such a pain in the ass."

"I know. There's only one me, though." Harvey said with a huge conceited grin.

"Thank God for that. One self absorbed human being in the world named Harvey Specter is enough for any lifetime," Donna acquiesced.

"What did you just say?"

"You heard me. That doesn't mean he doesn't frustrate me to hell because I love him like hell," Donna said sliding down the bed and slipping into Harvey's arms.

"Don't you forget it!" Harvey said and kissed Donna long and deeply.

They shut out the lights and decided to make an early night of it.


	3. Chapter 3

**HI! I hope you are enjoying this little sequel which I was so flattered that I was requested to write. Please R & R as always...Thank you - Carebearmaxi**

You Know I Love You (Chapter 3)

Impact

 _Norma died. How terrible. Poor Louis doesn't let on but he is devastated. Although he bashed her and said to everyone she was a horrible secretary, he secretly thought the world of her. I hope Harvey understands if I do a little double time. Louis needs me right now more than Harvey. Well, that's saying something..._

 _"Donna! Donna? Donna!" Where is she? I haven't seen her since she left the condo before me this time. She said it was because Norma died. Poor guy! He must have loved her although you would never know from the way he talked about her. Personally she gave me the creeps._

"Donna," Harvey said as he saw her walk through his office door.

"I'm sorry, Harvey. Louis needs me right now. However, I managed to change your last appointment to tomorrow at 3. Oh, that's when Norma's memorial is. I'll have to change it to five. Is that ok?"

Harvey looked up at her as she stood before his desk. _She's so beautiful, but she is looking a little tired. Doing double duty between Louis and me can't be easy even for her._

"Whatever. Look, I know this is going to sound mean, but Louis has to know you're my secretary. Can't he do with a temp?" Harvey said and then knew immediately that it was a mistake because Donna's beautifully glossed lips turned into a grim line and her dark green eyes became hard as dark emeralds.

"Are you that insensitive or just that selfish?" Donna snapped back at him. "Louis needs help right now. Look, I came in here to tell you that I will have to move your 3:00 to 4:30 because 3:00 tomorrow is Norma's memorial service."

"And I have to come. Of course, I'll be there," Harvey said but he did not apologize for his previous remark. She turned on her heel and made a pit stop at her cubicle and then she was practically sprinting on her four inch Jimmy Choo heels back to Louis' office.

Harvey ventured into Louis' office later that day looking for Donna. He wanted her for personal reasons at that moment not professional reasons. Before he walked into the other name partner's office, he heard Louis crying. Harvey was not one to show emotion although he felt a lot more than what people gave him credit for. He felt bad for Louis. As he crept a little further into Louis' office, he heard talking as if Norma was still in front of him; however, he never heard Louis speak that nicely to anyone except Donna.

"Louis?"

"Harvey! Donna's not here. She's running an errand for me. I hope you don't mind. I know she's been gone from you a lot today," Louis said startled but not yelling at Harvey which was unlike him when he was caught doing something unusual.

"That's okay, Louis. I understand."

"Do you?"

"What do you mean? Of course, I do," Harvey said with an incredulous look.

"No. Do you know how special that woman is? What I wouldn't give for her to be my secretary."

"That's not going to happen. You do know that, right? She's mine," Harvey said fearing that if Louis played on Donna's sympathy she would leave his desk mistakingly preserving her rule. _I know I'm selfish. I want her on my desk and I want her in my bed. She is mine._

"Look, Louis, it's okay. I don't mind for a short time. Can I do anything for you?"

Louis gave him Harvey a pleading look.

"No. I will do anything for you right now, but you can't have Donna."

"Who says he can't have me? You don't own me, Harvey," Donna said as she tried prevent a confrontation between the two partners.

"Donna!" Louis exclaimed.

"Donna," Harvey said giving Donna surprised look. "We'll talk later." With that he turned and walked out of Louis' office.

"What the hell was all that about?" Donna demanded "Oh, nevermind. I'll talk to him later."

Louis looked off toward Harvey's office and then he looked at Donna.

"I want you to answer a question honestly," Louis said examining Donna.

"Sure, Louis. Something you want to know about Norma?" Donna inquired sounding innocent although she knew exactly what was coming.

"Are you sleeping with Harvey...again?"

They had deliberately suspended their open office displays of affection because it, first, it was unprofessional and it really seemed to agitate Louis. To Harvey, of course, he loved irritating Louis, but Donna knew how uncomfortable Louis was with that. Especially since he no longer was engaged to Sheila.

"Why is that any of your business? Besides what I told you I thought you would never mention again. It only happened once."

"Come on, Donna. When I asked him about you coming to work for me, he gave me a very possessive look. He normally has that look when he's working on a case and someone steals it, but I noticed it now when it came to you. So, are you sleeping with him?"

Donna found she could no longer keep it inside. Secretly she wanted to tell the whole world they were together, but she surmised that most people thought that anyway. Finally and quietly, she answered, "Yes. I'm not just sleeping with him. We're together, Louis."

"How can you be with that selfish narcissist? Work for him here and work for him at home? He doesn't even recognize how special you are," Louis expressed vehemently.

"Louis, it's not like that. We love each other. We always loved each other. I can't help it," Donna said placing a comforting hand on Louis' arm. "Harvey does finally know; otherwise, I wouldn't still be with him. It took him twelve years, but he does know. I love him. What can I say?"

Louis hung his head in defeat which only added to his sorrow.

He then looked up ruefully.

"Well, if he ever does anything to hurt you. He will have me to answer to," Louis said as Donna hugged him.

When they broke the brief embrace, Donna thought it safe to turn the conversation back to Norma's memorial,"So I brought these items from the..."

It was a silent trip back to Donna's apartment.

"Harvey, I thought I was coming to stay at your place tonight," Donna asked as Ray took the turn she knew led right to her place.

"I don't think that's a good idea tonight," Harvey said quietly looking deliberately out the window and not at Donna.

Donna blew out a breath.

"It's Louis' needs right now, isn't it? You said you understood. Harvey, look at me," Donna said. She wanted to grab his clenched jaw and jerk his head in her direction but she did not. Harvey always resulted to scrunching his emotions into a corner when he did not want to face something. Usually Donna had the technique which would allow him to openly discuss his feelings. However, she was tired tonight. She did not want to discuss anything with him. Maybe they should spend a night apart.

"Well, just for the record, I would like you to know that if I want to go work for Louis then I will. It is my decision, after all, and right now, he needs me more than you need me."

"Donna..." Harvey started and then he changed tactics and said, "You know what if you want to work for Louis go ahead! See if he treats you one iota better than I have. He's a cheap, overweening...shithead!"

"Harvey!"

 _As usual he can't or doesn't want to say what I think he wants to say so he resorting to being angry with me. I never said I would work for Louis, but how dare Harvey think he can hold me to a decision which is mine. I should go work for Louis. Not only to help him but it would separate Harvey and me and, perhaps, keep us from going under. Because this fight is just an example of what can happen when two people work and love and are under each other's feet for 24 hours straight._

They had arrived at her place and Ray had come around to the door and opened it and helped her out of the car. Ray waited until Harvey told him to close the door.

The door of the Lexus shut leaving a shocked Donna standing on the curb as she watched Ray drive the love of her life away from her.

"Don't let the time pass. Don't let a day go by without telling people how you feel about them," Louis said near tears as he stood near Norma's urn.

 _It's so sad to see Louis like this. I really need to find a replacement for him soon. I can't keep doing double duty for both he and Harvey. Last night we had such an argument over my professional commitment to Harvey as well as my personal investment in our relationship. Last night was the first night that neither of us spent in one or the other's bed._

Donna's eye caught Harvey's as Louis spoke those words.

 _This is ridiculous. I'm not letting that buffoon come between us._

Harvey came over to where Donna stood and without looking slid her hand in his. She smiled at him and he smiled back.

 _He's growing up...my Harvey. Mine. I love standing here with my hand in his just like Mike and Rachel. He's smiling at me. I know he's sorry about the fight last night and I am, too. We love each other, so does it matter who I work for during the day?_


	4. Chapter 4

**HI! Just a little note. I decided to have a little angst and see how Harvey would feel if Donna still decided to work for Louis after they were together. I tweaked Donna's quote from Season 5 Episode 1 just a little to fit my composition. Let me know if you like. Thank you - Carol**

Together Forever (Sequel to You Know I Love You)

Chapter 4 - Separation

 _Damn it, Harvey! Why are you making this so hard? Of course, because it is all about you! As usual. You have me at night and in the morning. Louis needs me more than you do and I think the separation will be good for us. Absence makes the heart grow fonder. How could you think I'm deserting you?_

 _Damn it, Donna! You know I can't get used to someone else at this stage in the game. Twelve years we've worked like a well oiled machine. Just because I am in love with you should not make a difference. As a matter of fact, it should enhance our relationship. Louis! Goddman, Louis! He's such a baby about everything! Well, if you want to go to work for Louis, go ahead. I'm not stopping you. Don't expect me to be the same at night when I haven't seen you all day._

Harvey looked at Donna when she came into his office late at night the day of Norma's memorial service. He could not believe what she wanted to do.

"Donna, you are my secretary! Not Louis'," Harvey repeated for the 900th time. "Why are you doing this? I thought your rule was thrown out the door in light of our new relationship. I finally realize I love you and I want you 24/7...not just in the office," Harvey said trying to plead his case to the jury...Donna.

"Harvey, I love you. I am so happy that you love me that way," Donna said as she came closer to Harvey and tried to touch him. He turned away from her with a clenched jaw to which when Donna saw his forced stance knew that he was not going to relent happily with her plans to work for Louis. As usual, Harvey thought she was abandoning him. Donna felt if they were separated during the day little scenes like the other day would happen less because they were not involved 24/7.

"Harvey, I am doing this for us. Not just for Louis. I think we need space so we don't feel like we're suffocating each other," Donna said attempting to convince him that separation in the office may not be all that bad for their out-of-the-office relationship.

"You're doing this for you, Donna. I'm not scared this time. You are! Am I suffocating you? I thought you loved me and wanted me always. At least that was the story I got the day after I told you I loved you. You know I need you at my side in the office and out of the office."

"Yes, Harvey, you want me to say it! I am scared. Of us. We are in this intense passionate relationship and I could not be more happier. However, I don't want to become a convenience to you by working with you during the day. I think being together 24/7 would somehow smother us and further complicate a relationship which has always been complicated," Donna explained trying to find love and acceptance in her lover's dark eyes.

Then in a slightly softer voice trying to find that love in his eyes, she mentioned, "Two adults who care about one another don't move on together like this."

He sat back down and stared up into her face which was now sad. He knew he put the sadness there, but it is not like she did not know what his views were.

"In my opinion, two people who care about one another don't move on together like this. They embrace being together at all times. One does not desert the other against the other's wishes."

Then he really starting feeling intense anger almost as passionate as his insatiable need for her presence.

"You know what? Just go. Clear your stuff out of your desk and take yourself to Louis."

"Harvey..."

"Just go." He said with his eyes looking somewhere else except at her.

"Harvey. We can talk more if you want to discuss it later," Donna offered praying that she could make him understand after hours when they were alone in their cocoon.

"Donna, there won't be a later. I need to do some work at home, so when you're ready, Ray will take you back to your place."

Donna was surprised. She felt like the abandoned one now. _How can you do this to us? It's a job. I thought we meant more than our work hours to each other!_

Without a word, Donna walked out of Harvey's office and began to clean out her desk.


	5. Chapter 5

**Hi All! Well, I know I haven't updated this fic for a while, but here goes. It might be a bit painful but remember I love a happy ending! Thank you to every one who is still following. I live for your responses. Thanks, again - Carebearmaxi**

You Know I Love You (Sequel Together Forever)

Chapter 5-Time Off?

After Donna cleaned her desk out and moved her stuff to Louis' side of the office, Donna had Ray take her to Rachel and Mike's apartment. Donna, not normally the one looking for a sounding board but being the sounding board, needed to make an exception in this case. Since Donna had been with Harvey, forever she thought, Donna had felt invincible. Now knowing that Harvey felt abandoned by her with her desire to work for Louis, Donna's reaction was one of devastation. So, she sought her best friend to see what Rachel thought.

"Donna?" Rachel said as she opened the door to her apartment and saw her tall redheaded friend standing there obviously distraught.

"I'm sorry to come at such a late hour; but I know Mike is working with Harvey, and I just had to see you," Donna uttered as Rachel ushered her in the door.

"Sure, what is it? I'm surprised you're not with Harvey. You two seem to be inseparable. Wait! Don't tell me. Trouble in paradise?" Rachel asked seeing Donna's red swollen eyes probably from crying. Rachel was upset now. All Donna ever wanted was to have a relationship with Harvey-her one true love-now it looks like it was going to be an uphill battle after all.

Donna stood there looking at her dark haired best friend knowing that her boyfriend was working with her fiancee, his best friend, and wondered if Mike could draw what he was feeling out from Harvey. _I hope Harvey will confide in Mike if given the chance, but I know he won't because Harvey has just reconstructed his wall that had lately been down. Why did I come here? I don't want to bother Rachel and swear her to secrecy and Mike blurts something out to Harvey. I should just go._

"I'm sorry, Rachel. I shouldn't burden you with this. I'll just catch a cab for home," Donna said as she started back out the door.

"No, what you need is to come in here. Have a glass of wine and tell me what's happening with Harvey. I have your favorite wine, by the way, so stay," Rachel coerced as she padded barefoot to the wine cabinet and the wineglasses.

"Oh, Rache, I'm sorry. I just made a decision that I know I'm going to regret," Donna said sitting on Rachel's couch. Rachel brought the wine, and Donna took a sip.

"Oh, this wine is great! Thank you," Donna said and then feeling a little more relaxed and confident kicked off her Louboutins and curled up on Rachel's couch clutching an overstuffed pillow to her body began to tell Rachel of her decision to work for Louis.

"You what!?"

"I decided that Louis needs me more than Harvey and that Harvey has me all night; whereas, Louis needs someone to get him back on his feet since Norma's death," Donna said feeling vindicated and confident as she took in the liquid courage.

Rachel shook her head. "Remember when I told you that you're Harvey's everything in the office and he would be jealous because you had been sleeping with Stephen?"

Donna looked down as if to say _why are you bringing that up?_

"Yes."

"Well, did you think it would not be relevant or even more relevant now that you're sleeping with Harvey as well working for him?" Rachel asked thinking with her heart more than her logic.

"Well, let me tell you why I thought it would be a good thing," Donna said defending her decision. "Number one: Harvey and I are in a personal relationship, so this means we are spending 24/7 together and as much as I love him and our life together I think we are spending too much time together. Harvey and I have always been complicated and now things seem less complicated but, in truth, they are not. We are intense passionate people and I put him above all else. So, number two, to save our relationship I feel we need to be separated at least some part of the day."

"Did you tell Louis yet? He must be flying on Cloud Nine. He's always been jealous of Harvey but no more than his privilege of having you for his secretary."

"I haven't told Louis yet. As a matter of fact, Louis asked me and I had told him that I couldn't as I was Harvey's secretary."

"Couldn't you just tell Harvey that it's temporary and as soon as Louis finds the right one you're returning to Harvey's desk?" Rachel suggested feeling that made much more sense than total separation if she was only doing it to preserve her personal life with Harvey. They could both learn something then.

"You know, Harvey. He doesn't deal in gray areas when it comes to his life. If it is a gray area he makes it black or white. Just like he did in this case. He wouldn't even allow me a two week notice time. He just told me to pack my stuff and move to Louis' desk and then he told me not to come home to him but to go to my place. Was he breaking up with me?"

"Sounds like it to me, but then you know Harvey better than anyone," Rachel sympathized and put a hand on her buddy's arm.

"Are you still determined to work for Louis?" Rachel asked.

Donna through new tears nodded silently yes.

Suddenly the door opened and there was Mike with not only his briefcase but an additional satchel of files. Upon seeing Donna sitting on his couch with his fiancee, Mike could not help but ask.

"What did you do to Harvey?"

While Donna was talking to Rachel, Mike had ventured into Harvey's office looking forward to a little movie quote fest and working on a highly visible case.

"What's up, my man?"

"I'm not your man. Sit down we've got a long night ahead," Harvey stated succinctly looking at his young protege.

"Oooo, has Winter come?" Mike asked. He just realized that Harvey was NOT a "throner" so he would not get the reference.

"Look, sit down and use that fabulous brain of yours for the law instead of some stupid TV quote."

"Oh, so you do know that I was referring to "Game of Thrones", Mike confirmed.

"I don't watch it, but it seems everyone else does including Donna and I heard her and Louis discussing it recently."

"Ah, I see. Ok, what have you got for me?" Mike asked.

Harvey had handed the voluminous case file to Mike and proposed his strategy to win, and how Mike could assist. Afterward, Mike decided that something was off about Harvey. Since he and Donna had become more than boss/secretary, Harvey had been happy and smiled a lot more and was a little less condescending in dealing with Mike's less serious undertone to his duties. He and Harvey had always clicked and had fun at each other's expense but none of it was ever vindictive. So Mike kept thinking the whole time: _What happened with you and Donna?_

Mike rose from the couch where he had been sitting with Harvey perched on one end chair and asked, "Everything ok in your current lovelife?"

"What?" Harvey asked with his "one eye" squinting look which had come to be known as Harvey's " _what in the hell are you talking about?"_ look.

"You know Donna...you...love life," Mike clarified folding his hands together.

"Everything's fine," Harvey said in a low voice keeping his head down.

"Come on, Harvey. No, it's not. I know because you guys haven't had 24 hours apart since you started becoming involved personally a few months ago."

"It's none of your business. Now if you understand what has to be done, you're free to go home to Rachel," Harvey said rising and stomping over to his desk.

Despite Mike knowing that there was an issue between he and Donna and that, as usual, Harvey had just erected that emotional wall again, Mike took a cab to his own happy home.

"You what?!" Mike exclaimed duplicating Rachel's question to Donna when she related that she was going to work for Louis.

"I'm leaving Harvey to work for Louis," Donna repeated.

"No wonder he was pissed. I'm not saying this to coerce you into doing something you do not want to do, but this man is going to fall apart without you there. Don't you understand that? He needs you to do your job for him and love him at the end of the day. Is it so hard for you? Isn't that what you have wanted when you first told me that "feelings go away" knowing all the time they don't?"

"Mike!" Rachel yelled at her fiance.

Donna sat back down on the couch as teardrops slowly scuttled down her face smearing her makeup.

Looking through her tears at Mike whom she loved like a little brother said, "Of course I want that. But as I explained to Rachel, Harvey and I are something intense and passionate and I think we need a separation to save us from pulling each other apart being 24/7 together!"

Wiping her tears away, she stood up and putting on her heels she said, "Look. I don't know why I am explaining myself to you. You, fucking bastard, attacking me as if I murdered someone or hurt Harvey irreparably. I did not break up with him. I tried as carefully as I could to tell him I wasn't abandoning him. That just because I was going to work for Louis didn't mean I didn't love him and want to be with him. I feel with this separation that we are doing ourselves some good instead of stepping on each other's feet at home and at the office."

"It sounds like you're the one who's afraid now, Donna." Mike said penetrating Donna with his intense blue gaze. "You claim Harvey was afraid of a relationship with you all these years. Now when he finally realizes it is you whom he wants at home as well as the office you are the one chickening out! Seems a bit hypocritical to me."

"That's your opinion and you and Rachel are not Harvey and me," Donna said. She did not mean it bitterly. She just meant that Harvey and Mike and she and Rachel are four different people and their love affairs are vastly different because the personalities are different. However, Mike took it bitterly.

"Thank God for that. Two people who love each other spend every minute they can with each other because their life could be snuffed out just crossing the street. Didn't anything that Louis say at Norma's funeral resonate with you?" Mike pressed.

"Of course it did! I'm not trying to separate from Harvey or hurt him. God knows how much I love that man and I would do anything for him, but I'm just moving down the hall. He has me every other way and I thought that _that_ was more important than anything else!" Donna argued with Mike's logic.

"Look, Donna," Rachel interjected between the shouting happening between two of the dearest people in her life. "Go home. Call Harvey. If he doesn't say he wants to talk to you then there's your answer; but if he does, go to him and if he persuades you to change your mind-let him." Rachel sighed and pleaded with her best friend because she did not want to see Donna's heart broken once again. Knowing Harvey he would revenge himself by finding some irrelevant bar whore with whom to drown his sorrows. Maybe not, but Rachel did not know Harvey as well as Donna did.

Donna said good night to her two best friends after they called a cab for her. Donna knew she had Ray at her disposal now but she could not see bringing the man, father of five, out late in the night. Harvey would think nothing of it, but Donna, not knowing what the status of her relationship was with Harvey at the moment thought better of it.

Walking into her apartment, Donna's mind leapt to recent memories of her and Harvey, falling asleep together on her couch, lying in bed making love, taking a shower together, and then realizing how late they were going to be because Ray had called them to say he had been waiting fifteen minutes wondering if he had missed a call that he had had the day off. Harvey was tempted a few times, but with Jack Soloff and Jessica breathing down his neck he decided he would have to spare a few hours for work instead in the arms of his secretary with whom he was fully in love.

 _What is wrong with me? I should have known better. How dare Mike, though, tell me what's good for me and Harvey! He's known Harvey, what? Four years now? I've known, worked for, and loved that man a lot longer. Well, I will do what Rachel said to do. I will call Harvey to see where we stand._

Back at the office, Harvey's cell phone rang. He quickly looked at it and saw that it was Donna. He hit the ignore button and poured another Scotch.


	6. Chapter 6

HI! Sorry for not updating this one too quickly. I'm having a bit of writer's block in the light of how the series is running these days. However, I have updated this one and I will be updating the more current fiction "And I Love You So" soon. So I hope you like. Thank you all - Carebearmaxi

Together Forever (Sequel to You Know I Love You)

Chapter 6-Taking a Break

After not receiving a return text or even a phone call from Harvey, Donna cried herself to sleep. She rose earlier than necessary for work since this was the first full day she would be working for Louis. _Louis? Louis. What was I thinking? I am afraid for sure. I'm not afraid of how I feel because I was the happiest woman in the world having Harvey as mine. I was afraid for how I'll feel when Harvey gets tired of me. My rule was the only thing that kept us from taking advantage of our attraction to one another and how good we actually are together-in and out of the bedroom. Harvey...Harvey. He thought he was going to muck up this relationship. No! It's me! All because I let Louis pull on my ego and make me feel like I'm needed. Now I've lost the one person in the world which kept me hanging around the law offices and not pursue being that actress I so desperately wanted to be before I worked and fell in love with the infamous Harvey Specter!_

Donna threw her covers over her pillows making her bed in a swift sloppy fashion. Normally she liked to tighten all the sides and smooth all the sheets and blankets with her hand loving the feel and always remembering the previous night how the sheets became mussed and how his cologne lingered. As she retrieved her throw pillows from the chair she held the one that held his scent the longest. Rather than standing there feeling sorry for herself, she threw the pillow on the duvet with the rest and putting on her heels and grabbing her purse decided to face the day. Her first day without Harvey Specter.

Harvey reached out instinctively anticipating her warmth. He realized sleepily that her side of the bed was cold. He crawled over with his eyes closed instinctively aching for her scent. He loved waking up beside her. He awoke now and saw only the empty side of the bed, yet the sheet and pillow where her head laid was still full of her.

 _Donna. You have got to be kidding going to work for that buffoon! I can hear you in my mind telling me he's not a buffoon, but I can think what I want! Ok, if you want to go work for him...fine! Only know you are the one throwing away what we have with both hands. It's over!_

Harvey then got up and threw the covers aside and just sat missing Donna. He ran his hand impatiently through his hair and was suddenly furious with the woman he loved more than anything else in the world. _I thought we were past this. That once she had responded to my walls finally coming down that we would be together forever. That night I told her I loved her and then walked out wiped away every emotional coverI had been hiding under. I was finally ready to fight for her and now only months together and she is withdrawing because in spite of her brave words and her finally convincing me to come clean she was standing there afraid the whole time. She is afraid of who we are together. I never thought Donna Paulsen with all her confidence was afraid of me all the time._

Looking at his reflection in the mirror as he shaved, he decided if she wanted to work for someone else well then maybe she should look for someone else to love as well.

The elevator doors on the 50th floor opened and outstepped a perfectly coiffed Donna. Despite having moved her office possessions to Louis' side of the floor, she still had not notified him that she was his new secretary. She walked her way down to her old desk in the hope that she and Harvey could talk and that she would be sure not leave him and dry. She was rather unnerved at Harvey's reaction to her wanting to work elsewhere because her heart was always with him. Louis had become one of Donna's best buds, but Harvey was the love of her life and her best friend in the world. She still knew her arrangement would be the best for them both. However, she realized she had to convince Harvey or they would be lost to each other again.

Donna was still reeling from the lack of communication from her boyfriend last night, but she was giving him the benefit of the doubt that he was just too tired from working all night last night. She felt a bit funereal so she dressed in all black. She had pulled from her closet a traditional black long sleeved light nylon sheer button blouse under which she wore a body hugging black tank top and bra. She decided to pair that with her black pencil skirt knowing that her curves were well pronounced. She felt sexy and she wanted to be sure she felt confident in working with Harvey and hoping he would still want them to be together outside the office and accept that she had to move on for herself during office hours. She wanted him to understand that they would become stale and take each other for granted. Not just him. She knew it would be difficult, but she was counting on his love for her to see the truth of her words.

 _Still not in yet._ _Of course, he has not arrived yet. Let me see if Louis is in yet. I believe he had a court date set for early this morning so that will give me time to gather up the resumes that I so carefully set on his table with the sticky notes attached for their names and interview times. I cannot wait to see the look on Louis' face when I tell him that I'm his new secretary and he need look no further. However, I will have to give the list to Harvey and see how he wants to set up his interviews. I can, at least, do that for him._

While Donna had been making the phone calls to cancel Louis' interviews, Harvey had come into the office expecting to see his redheaded love waiting for him at her desk. _I will apologize for not texting her or calling her back last night. I will tell her or show her how wrong she is for wanting to work for Louis so she can preserve our relationship outside the office. That can't last for long her working for him, right?_

 _Mmm? She's not at her desk. Looks like nothing is left on her desk. She really took me seriously yesterday and moved her stuff to Norma's old desk. Damn it, Donna!_

Harvey made his way to his desk and waited for his girlfriend to make her presence known to him.

"Donna get Janus on the phone and bring me the Corsica file," Harvey called as he spotted Donna coming to her desk.

"Here you go and Janus is on vacation this week," Donna said as she walked into Harvey's office bearing a stack of papers.

"Did you honestly think that if I respond like everything is normal here that I would just change my mind and stay here?" Donna asked eyeing Harvey's reaction.

Much to her surprise, Harvey stood up and kissed her on the lips. Her lips were soft and tasted like coffee and vanilla.

"Harvey."

"Donna," Harvey said with all the swagger he could muster at that hour of the morning.

"Did that not change your mind?" Harvey asked with the most confident sexy smile.

Donna kissed him back and let her lips stay on his for a little longer hoping that her next words would be understood and that they would be together later in the evening when the day was over.

 _Uh-oh. This is going to be harder than I thought. I did miss him last night. Stay strong, Donna! No matter how much you missed his kiss last night and having him lie next to you last night, you have to let him know that moving to Louis' desk was for them. Please understand Harvey. I love you too much to stifle us. Here goes..._

"Harvey. Please understand. I am moving to Louis' desk. I haven't left you high and dry, though, I am giving you the proper two weeks' notice and although I will be sitting outside Louis' office I will be at your disposal as well for the next two weeks. Also here (handing him the list) is a list of prospective replacements."

Harvey closed his eyes. "Donna, please don't do this. No one can replace you. You know that. You are my secretary," Harvey said through gritted teeth standing there holding the list Donna handed him as if it was covered in feces.

"I'm your girlfriend and lover, Harvey. I am doing this for us because spending so much time together cannot be good for us. We'll bring the office home and we'll bring home in here. There has to be some separation. Do you not see that?"

"No, Donna. I don't. I told you I wanted to be with you and see you all the time. I finally came to my senses and now you've lost yours. Don't you understand?"

"I love you, Harvey and we'll get together tonight. Your place or mine?" Donna asked in all innocence.

Harvey took a deep breath and said, "Donna, look, if you are doing this than I guess we need a clean break. Maybe you'll understand when we are truly separated. Let's take this time in the office apart to be apart personally. We'll take some time off. Now go back to Louis' desk and if I need something I will call you."

"Harvey, that's not why I am doing this. I'm not trying to punish you. I am doing this for us..."

"For you, Donna! For you because you're scared! Now, I have a call to make so get the hell out of my office and if I need you I will call you at Louis' desk!"

Donna blinked sudden blinding tears from her eyes and felt them drop onto her blouse and walked out of Harvey 's office hardly believing the tone he had taken with her. _In all the years I've worked for him the only time he spoke to me like that was when he was busy saving me from the gallows on the Liberty Rail case and any time I was getting too close and he did not want open up to me. Even then, though, his tone always softened. However, not this time._

Harvey not wanting to show how hurt he was sat back down at his desk and forcefully looked at his calendar trying to forget how he had to hurt the one woman he ever truly loved.


	7. Chapter 7

**Hi All! Well, I am finding it difficult to recap Season 5 having put Donna & Harvey as lovers at the end of Chapter 4. However, I am trying my best and I have included Esther Litt (ugh!) but I feel it will be important later on. Hope you enjoy! Chapter 8 will be up very soon. Please R&R if you want to. I truly appreciate all the kind words I have received. Love - Carebearmaxi**

Together Forever (Sequel to You Know I Love You)

Chapter 7- Time Passages

A few weeks have passed since Harvey decided that he and Donna should take a personal break to coincide with her transferring to Louis' desk.

 _This has got to stop! I'm sweating like I've been punching the hard bag. Donna, I'm drowning, but I am not going to have Jessica force you to come back to me if you don't want to. You will get tired of working for him and you will miss me personally, too. In the meantime I have been ordered to get a secretary, so that is what I shall do._

Harvey looked over at his clock and threw the covers off. He had an appointment with Dr. Paula Agard this morning. He had needed some help sleeping and had gotten some pills from his primary doctor, but the primary doctor suggested that if he needed something stronger he may need some therapy along with the sleeping pills. He had recommended her strongly and here Harvey was actually going having made an appointment. All he really wanted was the pills because more than anything he needed his mind to blank out so he would stop remembering that he had lost the only woman in the world who understood him and loved him unconditionally. Not to mention she was a hell of a secretary for him.

In the meantime, Donna came to Louis' desk. She surprised him with it yesterday at lunch wherein he could hardly contain his excitement. His reaction bordered on sexual stimulation which was fed by their double entendre conversation. Donna would always have fun teasing Louis. A few days into her tenure as Louis' secretary, Donna caught a glimpse of Louis' much derided but beautiful sister, Esther, as she walked out of his office.

Donna, like the good secretary she is, did not shut off the intercom to Louis' office much like the she hardly ever had when she worked for Harvey. Donna overheard that Esther was getting a divorce and she absolutely needed Harvey because he was not family besides she had heard what a bad ass Harvey was at negotiations. After Donna watched the small boned dark-haired woman pass by her desk on the way to the elevators, Donna immediately tackled Louis on how beautiful Esther was after hearing for years how unattractive and obnoxious she was.

"That was Esther?" Donna asked.

"Oh, please I know Donna it's me with a wig," Louis said with sarcasm. They discussed why Louis did not want to go to Harvey to ask him to handle Esther's divorce.

"She's your family, Louis, and if there is one thing that Harvey understands it's family," Donna said as she walked out of his office and returned to her desk.

 _Wait until Harvey sees her. He'll be sending an invitation for sex with that smile and those eyes the minute he sees her. I know he said we were taking a break, but I wonder if Harvey will have any fidelity issues when he hasn't had his itch scratched in a few weeks!_

Donna sat in a cafe alone perusing over the check. She always came to this certain cafe when she wanted to be alone and mull things over. Her mind drifted to her first glimpse of Esther. She had convinced Louis into telling Harvey and she knew for a fact using the family reason Harvey would not refuse to handle her divorce. Looking up as the server came to her table and before she could give her credit card to him, the server handed her a paid copy of her lunch bill.

"There must be some type of mixup. I haven't paid my bill yet." Donna mentioned to the young swarthy curly-haired man who had been her servor.

"No, madam. The blonde gentlemen sitting just over there insisted he pay it for you," the server replied.

From across the room, Donna smiled at the handsome man who was probably her age. She gave an additional cash tip to the server although he insisted the man had covered that as well. She rose from her seat at her table and walked over to the table where the attractive stranger sat. As she walked to him, it was one of the few times that she thought a man was attractive and handsome as Harvey.

"I would like to thank you for my lunch. That was not necessary," Donna said.

The blonde man who continued to sit in Donna's presence flashed a large grin with very white teeth set in a chiseled chin. He possessed shoulders the width of Montana and blonde curly hair with large blue eyes.

"May I have the name of the man who purchased my lunch?" Donna said a little flirtatiously.

"Only if she will have a drink with me later," answered the man finally rising from the table and holding out his hand.

Donna smirked and decided to play along having pictures of Esther with Harvey in bed playing in her mind.

"Ok, just tell me where and when?" Donna smirked holding out her hand. "Donna Paulsen."

"Mitchell McCann," Mitchell said holding Donna's hand a little longer than necessary.

"How about at the Tavern at 6:30?" Mitchell invited Donna.

"I'll be there. Thank you, again...Mitchell," Donna said as she turned and sashayed away from Mitchell letting her full skirt do its flirting for her.

Harvey managed to get a good settlement for Esther which made Esther happy and eventually Louis happy after Harvey had convinced him that the settlement where Jeffrey gets 25% interest in her company was fair and made for good terms between the two parents.

Harvey had hired a new secretary and she was as different from Donna as the city was from the country. Though, not as attuned to Harvey as Donna had been (how could she be?) Gretchen was efficient and very much an asset to Harvey's much disorganized law practice.

The night of Esther's settlement. Esther invited Harvey to take her home. He said he would. She had said the children were with their father at their country house, so it was perfectly fine for him to stay the night if he wanted.

They were barely in the door when Esther, who was feeling vindicated after her settlement with Jeffrey and sexy and desired as she had not for a long time, kissed Harvey opening his mouth with her own and very carelessly removing his jacket and tie began to undress him. Harvey lost in his own passion for sexual fulfillment unzipped the back of Esther's dress and allowed his hands run all over Esther's smooth skinned slim body noting only once how differently built she was from Donna who had been the last woman with whom he had sex a few months ago now.

Soon they were in her bed, Harvey inside Esther and both moaning and moving to climax. Only once did Harvey think of his true love, Donna, quickly dismissing her trying to keep his mind on the woman with whom he was inside thrusting. Harvey, using his lawyer reasoning, quickly gave himself permission since he and Donna were on a personal break as well as professional to enjoy this one night only of empty passion thinking it perfectly fine for him to fall into bed with a now ex-client and Louis' sister not only breaking the promise he had made to Louis but also breaking his own vow to himself to never turn into his mother.


	8. Chapter 8

**Just a brief author's note: Italics are again Harvey and Donna's thoughts**. **Enjoy and review if you want to. Always love hearing from you.**

Together Forever (You Know I Love You Sequel)

Chapter 8-Reconciliation?

Before Esther and Harvey's one night stand, Harvey and Donna relationship became even more acrimonious. Jack Soloff had plotted with Louis to change the firm's compensation plan which affected Harvey's income more than anyone else's. Louis claimed that he was only supporting it to throw it back in Soloff's face to show that he really wanted to be friends with Harvey in light of Louis gladly accepting Donna as his secretarial replacement for Norma. Harvey had claimed there were no hard feelings between he and Louis, but there were. Harvey's panic attacks which he had been suffering from the minute Donna left him increased. Harvey then continued his therapy with and they were driving deep into the reasons behind his emotional ineptitude when Esther Litt had shown her pretty moonlit face inviting Harvey to drown his emotional confusion into a meaningless sex act. Like he had for so many years before he realized what he and Donna could have had together had he only fought for her.

The only good thing that really came out of that one night stand was the foundation of a reconciliation with his former secretary/lover. He finally realized that she was his and what she had sacrificed the last 12 years for him waiting at his beck and call and still carrying feelings for him whether he reciprocated or not. This realization, though, did little to encourage Harvey to return to Donna's bed. Harvey figured maybe he and Donna's romantic relationship was over for good because she had given him no sign that she wanted him back in her bed or her heart.

 _Perhaps we can_ _return to friendship instead of avoiding each other like the plague or having a knock down drag out fight which somehow the entire firm knows of._

During those infamous divorce negotiations, Harvey realized that Donna, like Esther's husband, had sacrificed any dreams of her own to focus on the needs of Harvey's life. Donna almost entirely abandoned her acting aspirations with the exception of her playing Portia last year in a small theater group.

 _I was so proud of her last year when she had briefly returned to the stage. She was so beautiful and captivating and while I was never a Shakespeare fan I could have easily become one while I watched how beautifully she moved on stage and spoke so eloquently. Like I told her, I'm a Donna fan. I always will be._

 _Now that I have given Louis the other half of the bargain we agreed to for my handling of Esther's divorce, I must do something else. I still love Donna, but I know we weren't meant for each other...now. I still miss her and part of me needs for her to return to me if only to be my secretary again. Not that I don't like Gretchen. She's great but she's not Donna._

Donna watched Harvey approach.

She thought: _What is it, Harvey? You only want to make me feel worse than I already do? Like more of a stranger? What can you want? I believe we have nothing left to say to one another except how great sex was again for a little while._

"Harvey, how can I help you?"

"I just wanted to thank you."

"For what?"

"For twelve years," Harvey stated with no prevarication. Smilingly, he turned around and walked back to his office.

Donna could not help smile and thought, perhaps, Harvey had finally grown up where she was concerned and that maybe there was a chance that they could at least become friends again.

A few weeks passed and Donna became precarious friends with Harvey's new secretary, Gretchen. Gretchen who had come to know how close Harvey and Donna had been through her friendship with Norma calculated that Donna had still not been quite ready to trust Harvey's professional needs to some other woman. Donna agreed that was probably why she seemed resentful. However once the air was cleared they both realized that Donna now worked for Louis and Gretchen could take good professional care of Harvey.

As Harvey approached his office in the morning after another session with Dr. Agard, Gretchen mentioned that August 26th was permanently blacked out on his calendar so she interpreted it as his birthday. However, Harvey never mentioned to Gretchen what that date meant. Instead he wandered back to the file room to see if Donna was there as she was not at her desk outside Louis' office. He found her shifting boxes from the metal shelves to a rolling cart. He could not help but notice her straight back and thin but strong arms with polished manicured hands lifting heavy file boxes from the shelf to the cart and back. His mind's eye was suddenly consumed by their last session of lovemaking back so many months ago when he thought they had finally found their way together and nothing would part them. Now, well, here they are.

 _Apparently, she so wrapped up in her work she has not heard me enter. I'll just step to the other side and surprise her._

Donna removes a box from the shelf and there stands the love of her life.

"Donna," Harvey says with a glint in his eye.

"Harvey," Donna answers back. _What could he want now? She knew that look. He was going to ask her something that he was not sure she would like._

Donna moved further down the shelf taking another box from the shelf only to see Harvey's face again as he had not left the room.

"You look busy." _I hope she says yes to my invitation. I hate being at odds with her. Sometimes she seems like my only friend. She is except for Mike._

"That's because I am busy," she says as she slides another box of files onto the shelf covering up Harvey's smiling face.

He decides to come around the shelf to face her.

"Too busy to come with me to Del Posto's on Wednesday?"

"We don't have to do that anymore. I don't work for you anymore. What would we be celebrating?"

"Then why was it still marked?"

"Because I did that a long time ago, and when I left your desk I forgot to erase it."

"Well, then, instead of celebrating the day you came to my desk, how about we celebrate two weeks of being friends?"

"It's only been a week and a half," Donna stated back sarcastically.

"Really, Donna, I wants us back to being friends," Harvey said.

Donna turned around and started to push the file cart in front of her and says, "See you Wednesday, Harvey."

Donna walked away pushing the cart in front of her leaving from the other side of the file room.

 _I wonder what this means. Has he completely forgiven me for going to work for Louis? Does he mean just "friends" or friends with benefits? I saw him and Esther looking at one another. I know he's slept with her. So, I guess that mean he's giving our whole romantic relationship the heave-ho. Well, we were always good friends. I will forgive him and I will try to forget. We were on a "break". Bullshit reasoning but if we can be civil to one another then it will be worth the separation. I will try not to be jealous besides I have Mitchell now. Although I will alway love Harvey, I will try not to be heartbroken. I will just have to move on._

Trying not to get her hopes high once again, she anticipated a good dinner and good conversation with her former boss and lover.

The atmosphere of Del Posto's was always romantic. Every year Harvey and Donna would celebrate her coming to work for him. For many years, Harvey wanted to end the evening with Donna making love to her. Making love, yes, not just sex because love was what it always was between them. It went beyond the physical as it should when people want to show their love for one another. However, her damned rule and his promise to keep it and the fear that Donna would leave him restrained him from showing what he really wanted for the both of them. It also kept Donna working by his side.

Unbeknowst to Harvey, Donna secretly harbored feelings of wanting Harvey to skip her rule and take her to his bed. The more reasonable intelligent Donna who thought with her head and not her heart was always glad they had not satisfied that particular hunger because of the awkwardness between them which would result. It would be very hard to maintain that on the lowdown in the gossip shop which was Pearson, Specter, Litt.

Harvey looked into Donna's eyes and he immediately felt guilty. He knows he should never have taken Esther to bed.

 _I know she knows. Yet she hasn't said anything. She wouldn't. I dangled women in front of her for years, but then we hadn't been together and then separated. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all.._

"...well he actually said that..." Donna said in the middle of her story about Louis.

"No, he didn't," Harvey responded coming back to the present moment.

"Yes. Not only did he say it, but I had to transcribe it from his dictaphone!"

Harvey took a sip of his wine. It felt so right to be with her again. Just to be able to talk with her and share things.

"You know, I haven't thought of Jack Soloff and his shit for at least an hour. We should do this more often."

"Well, Harvey, I'm not sure how Mitchell will feel about that." Donna ventured.

 _Let's see if he leaps to the sex thing then I'll be able to tell if he slept with Esther or not._

"Mitchell? Who's Mitchell?" Harvey was feeling a little hot under the collar feeling a sudden swell of jealousy. More reasonably, he then thought: _well we are on a break._

"Just a man I met and dated a few times in the last few weeks since we've been on a break."

Harvey put down his wineglass and tried not to act like the jealous boyfriend. He hoped or did he that maybe Mitchell was the right guy and all that sexual tension between he and Donna had just been the fact that they worked together for a long time, had sex once, and then tried again years later.

 _No, I love her. I was wrong to not let her go work for Louis without resentment. It was logical and we could have still been together after work, at lunch, or anytime when we weren't at the office. Now she has this new guy and he would be a fool if he didn't fall in love with her because who couldn't? If I fight for her and ask her to come back as my girlfriend, would she now? If she did, I would show her how much I love her and want her back. I hope she forgives me about Esther._

"Well, tell me about him," Harvey asked pretending he was not jealous.

"He's funny, intelligent, and he has nothing to do with the practice of law," Donna said smiling.

With a funny little pause, Donna continued, "I tell you that to let you know that I am not jealous of you and Esther."

 _I knew it! She figured I would sleep with her. What was I thinking? She's Donna._

"What do you mean me and Esther?"

"Oh, please, Harvey. I saw you two together and you were both mooning over one another. I'd have to be dumb and blind not to notice. I caution you, though. If I saw it then Louis will see it. You did promise him that wouldn't you sleep with her and you did. So you'd better tell him."

Harvey was taken aback by her reaction. He thought for sure she would have thrown her wine in his face for sleeping with Esther although they were on a break.

 _I thought she would have been more upset and now she's asking me to tell Esther's brother because I made a stupid promise. Esther is an adult and I am an adult and we both made a decision. It had nothing to do with Louis. I know he feels protective because it's me, but I wonder at Donna's statement. Why is she not harboring resentment toward me? I wonder if she slept with Mitchell. Why else would she not be jealous? Maybe we aren't right for one another as lovers and much better as friends and coworkers?_

"Louis isn't rational with things that don't concern his sister. Besides your radar is way off. I'm not sleeping with Esther. We had a moment when we bonded over her divorce but it was only once."

"Well, anyway, despite what it seems you should really tell Louis. If he finds out some other way, it will really be hell."

Donna took a sip of her wine to stop the downward spiral of conversation. _I knew it! The minute he was rid of me he sleeps with another woman with no regret or remorse. That's not like Harvey. He's always loyal. If I threw it up in his face, he would use that bullshit reasoning that we were on a break. I didn't think that excuse worked well in "Friends" when it was used and in real life it doesn't work either._

 _Well, I told him I wasnt' jealous, but I am. I always have been. He was always too self centered not to notice before. I thought he had changed from the day he told me loved me and wanted me for himself._

Harvey put down his wineglass trying to understand how Donna was feeling and thinking.

 _Woman, what are you thinking? I know you say you're not jealous but you are. I can see it. I'm sorry. I knew it wouldn't take me long to fuck up our relationship. That's why I fought my feelings for so long. I just don't understand how separating was right for us in the first place. I wonder how serious it is between you and Mitchell? Sometimes I wish I could read you as well as you read me. Do I have a right to be jealous? I'm always jealous of any man you've ever been with whether I declared you as mine or not. Now it is plain to me why that has always been: I am in love with you and I always have been. I was just too self centered and too poorly emotionally equipped to have wanted only one woman and think that I was worthy. Dr. Agard's therapy has certainly thrown that in my face just like the wine you should throw in my face, Donna, for being a dick about our relationship outside the office._

They finished their wine and then Ray drove Donna and Harvey to their respective apartments. They both laughed easily with one another but the deeper emotional feelings they felt became buried. They seemed farther apart than before they had briefly become a couple. The night could have easily turned into something more meaningful if either one had shown the other jealousy over their respective situations. However, Donna did not show how hurt she was by Harvey sleeping with Esther and Harvey would not show Donna his jealousy when he felt he really had no right. Suddenly, their very complicated relationship just became even more complicated.

Harvey returned to his condo and looked at himself in the mirror.

 _What have I done? The one woman I wanted and could see spending my life with now has found someone else._

Harvey panicked. He started to sweat and breathe stertorously. He recognized the onset of a panic attack. He wanted to call Donna but he was too ashamed to let her know that she was the partial reason why this kept happening to him. He took a drink of water and sat down on his bed. He had removed his suit jacket and tore at his tie loosening it, but other than that he was fully clothed. He had to calm his nerves. It was a good thing he was seeing in the morning. He took some deep breaths and calmed his nerves by thinking of how beautiful Donna looked tonight. Still dressed in her powder blue dress from work enticing him and other men with her show of cleavage, her hair so lush and shiny in the candelight and her hands holding the stem of the wineglass as she used it to flirt with him by actually batting her eyelashes at him. She flirted on the outside with him, but in her eyes she understood him and did her best to warn him of repercussions with Esther.

Eventually, Harvey took a calming shower and went straight to bed having found his pills and slipped into a dreamless sleep.

 _Harvey! You didn't even try to lie which is one of the characteristics I truly love about you, but you actually slept with Esther! When I brought it up I did it for two reasons: one to warn you about what will happen when Louis finds out and to see if you might really want to go back to a more than platonic relationship again. I know you still love me in that way and I know I still love you. So why?_

Suddenly Donna's cell rang and she saw the number was Mitchell's.

"Mitchell? It's late." Donna answered having looked at the clock and it had just turned 10:30 pm.

"I'm sorry. I just couldn't help thinking about how our date ended the other night," Mitchell said.

"Because I wasn't ready for you to kiss me? I'm sorry. I told you that I do have a steady boyfriend but right now we're separated. You said you were ok with that," Donna hurriedly protested.

"Yes, I know I did. However, I think he's a fool for being separated from you. If he really doesn't want you and you don't want him, I'm right here. You are a beautiful and fantastic woman, Donna. Don't let him push you around, ok?" Mitchell said.

"No one pushes me around. I'm always in control. I thank you for treating me so nice and being understanding about my current situation. Most guys wouldn't stand for that."

"I'm not most guys, Donna. I just want you to know that. Well, can we go out tomorrow night?" Mitchell asked hopefully.

"I guess so," Donna said haltingly. _Oh Harvey tell me do you want me or not? I can't go on with these mixed messages._ "What time?"

"About 7:30. Will you be home from work by then?"

"Yes, I should be."

"Good because the curtain goes up at 8:00 pm".

"Where are we going?"

"Nope. I want to surprise you. Now get some sleep Ms. Paulsen," Mitchell said.

"Goodnight, Mitchell. See you tomorrow night," Donna said.

"Goodnight, Donna. Sweet dreams."

Donna hung up the phone. "Mmmm" she said aloud to herself and not completely forgetting her anger against Harvey she took a cleansing bubble bath and went to bed.


	9. Chapter 9

Thank you again for favoriting me and being my followers of this story as well others I've written. I get so happy that people enjoy these because I, as many of these authors, love writing them! Here's Chapter 9! R&R Thank you - Carebearmaxi

Together Forever (Sequel to You Know I Love You)

Chapter 9 - Arrested Developments

Harvey sat at his desk in his office quietly. It was late and he had to insist Gretchen go home at 8:00 p.m. She stated she did not go home until he went home, but he had insisted that as long as she felt her work was complete for the day he did not need her for anything else. Their relationship was not like he and Donna's had been where he welcomed her presence and knew that she was there for him if he had wanted to share his feelings or just share a drink at the end of the day. Gretchen although just as great a secretary was not Donna. He liked Gretchen very, very much and admired her for her hard work ethic and dedication to his practice. However, he did not want Gretchen to feel obligated every night to serve him. It was not necessary. Tonight, he had just wanted to sit in his office and listen to one of his records while he finished his own work.

"Ok, no problem. I will see you in the morning, Mr. Specter," Gretchen said as she left.

"By the way, Gretchen, you can call me Harvey. It's perfectly fine," Harvey said kindly.

"I will at some point, Mr. Specter. I'm old school. You shouldn't call your boss by his first name."

"Did you not tell me one time that your husband was a lawyer?"

"Yes, but I wasn't his secretary. I was his partner's. That's how we met."

Harvey took a minute and reflected on that.

"Thank you, Gretchen. See you in the morning," he recovered and said to the smaller and older black woman as he left.

He now sat in his office. He had felt the beginnings of a panic attack when Gretchen left, but he was calm now having done some breathing exercises to calm his chaotic mind. He looked out at the Manhattan skyline and listened to another one of his Miles Davis albums-not the one that Donna scratched-and thought about Donna and how he very much missed her.

Harvey turned the page of the file he was reading. He sat with his feet propped on his windowsill, the file lying on his thighs, and his drink chilling his hand as he swigged it. So that's how Gretchen met her deceased husband. She had been his partner's secretary. Harvey's mind did not wander down the road thinking that many companies had, in the past, and still due have rules about spouses working with one another. Pearson, Specter, Litt had such a rule, but there were still secret hookups and marriages. Unfortunately, Harvey and Donna's relationship had never been secret. Because of Donna's rule, Harvey against everything he felt inside for her, respected it and maintained it burying those feelings that had so recently become significant again. Likewise Donna had done the same and acted circumspectly in their daily meetings.

Harvey who had few regrets especially where one night stands were concerned regretted succumbing to Esther's invitation to take her home knowing exactly where that would lead. Harvey's first step of thanking Donna for her service of 12 years was fading fast and he wanted Donna back for more than just a secretary. Maybe he would have to learn to accept that she was now Louis' secretary but she could still be his woman.

He only hoped it was not too late.

"I had very nice time tonight. It's been a long time since I saw a one-woman show. I was not a big Star Wars fan, but I loved Carrie Fisher's one woman show. This one was very good as well," Donna told Mitchell as they stood outside her apartment door. She prayed he would not want to come in although Donna did not want to be impolite.

Mitchell kissed her. Donna tried not to respond but his kiss was so warm and tender. His lips were soft and pliant. However, when Mitchell tried to deepen the kiss, Donna pulled back and out.

"It's him again, isn't it?"

"No, it's not. It's just it's late and I have to go to work in the morning..."

Mitchell suddenly did not take "no" for an answer and kissed Donna deeply again.

 _Oh what the hell! Harvey slept with Esther. Equal time for equal behavior. I'll do it just this once, so I don't miss Harvey. This isn't fair to Mitchell, but he started it._

"Well, Louis will understand if I come in late..."

So for many months this is how Donna and Harvey's relationship remained. Harvey had turned away from his one night stands having lost the taste for them and being immersed in trying to maintain his own standing in the firm with Louis' almost getting him suspended for punching him out. Notwithstanding Jack Soloff and Daniel Hardman's efforts to undermine Jessica and overtake the firm. Harvey had no time to play footsie with any one not even to attempt a personal reconciliation with his ex-secretary/lover.

One of the few times they had spoken since their amicable reconciliation was when Harvey asked for her help in changing Louis' mind about calling for Harvey's suspension.

Again he encountered her in the file room and said to her, "Hey".

"Don't 'hey' me, Harvey. You're going to ask me something and I'm not sure I will want to do it."

"I just wanted you to support me and tell Louis to drop this whole suspension vote."

"Well, what did you do, besides hit him, that he called for your suspension? How do I know that what said doesn't warrant it?'

"Donna, you worked for me twelve years. If you don't know me by now then I guess you never did," Harvey said feeling bad that now Donna seemed to not even care that they had been employees together let alone lovers recently.

Donna watched him walk away. _Oh Harvey what kind of shit did you get yourself into now? I can see how you're hurting. I want to be there for you, truly. I still love you and am in love with you_. _I only hurt him with my not believing in him. I am only mad at myself because I slipped and slept with Mitchell. It had been nice to wake up with someone but this morning I almost slipped and called him Harvey. That has to stop. I can't keep using a good man like Mitchell just because Harvey and I are on a break. I know Harvey hasn't been sleeping with anybody else. He's not been himself since this whole debacle happened with the endangerment of Jessica's position._

As Harvey walked away disconsolate and worried, Donna regretted what she had said to him. Truth was she had been a little miffed indirectly at him because she had realized she had slept with Mitchell the previous night not because she had real feelings for him but to satisfy her apetite for Harvey. The act itself had not been much different than what she had experienced before but it lacked the true connection and passion that lay between her and Harvey. It lacked that trust and love that Donna always associated with what sex between people should be. Donna had not feel the difference too deeply until she saw Harvey's face and looked into those deep brown soulful eyes. She knew Harvey was dealing with a lot of shit. She wondered what prompted Louis to betray Harvey and call for a suspension vote.

Louis entered his office and was surprised to see Donna sitting in his large chair with a furious look on her face and his dictaphone in her hand. He immediately panicked.

"How could you?" Donna ventured in furious lowered tones to Louis. "To want to play this before the partners and use his weaknesses against him..."

"He hit me, Donna! He humiliated me."

"I thought these types of things were beneath you, Louis, I guess I was wrong. If you use this, I'm done with you."

Louis fearing Donna would was immediately leave him and return to Harvey hurriedly promised he would not play it before the partners and that he would change his vote.

Donna, rising angrily from Louis' high backed chair, watched Louis as she had insisted he hit the erase button. She had not moved until Louis' finger had not lifted from the erase button and she retrieved the dictaphone to ascertain that the incriminating and self serving evidence was truly gone from Louis' evil machine.

Another month passed wherein Harvey and Donna had had the office encounter. Being that they were not in each other's presence constantly, the easy rhythm of their conversations and banter in teasing had not returned. They had not been physically together for many months now and both felt that, perhaps, this was truly what their destiny had been. It did not matter that Harvey wanted Donna back in all ways with every beat of his heart and Donna had felt the same although she had not had the heart to tell Mitchell she did not really want him either. Donna had not returned Mitchell's advances after that night, but she did continue to date him on the odd day here and there. Mitchell knew he was probably fighting a losing battle, but he had fallen in love with Donna and he hoped against all hope that she would fall in love with him and know that her ex-boss/lover was not worth her heartache.

Then Mike got arrested for the fraud he was. All hell broke loose at PSL, as their brightest, youngest, and newest junior partner was taken away in handcuffs by a couple of federal officers.

Donna was home dozing after having just fought with Mitchell and how much she really had not wanted to go out that night. Mitchell and she had parted on good terms and he said he would call her the next day. Donna came to her door with her head aching and was surprised to see her current boss push his way into her apartment.

"Louis. It's late. What do you want?" Donna asked.

"You haven't heard then," Louis responded.

 _"_ What happened to Harvey? _"_ Donna asked. The question that was foremost in her thoughts knowing that Louis would not come see her personally unless Harvey was involved.

"It's about Mike. He's been arrested."

"Oh my God. I've got to go," Donna said hurriedly turning toward her bedroom to change.

Louis grabbed her arm. "You can't go down there. If you show up there you could be implicated as well."

Donna sat down nodding her head knowing what Louis said was true but Mike was her friend and this must have effected Harvey horribly. He must have gone down there to be with him. He could not have left Mike alone to face his consequences. Therefore, Donna wanted to be there for Harvey feeling just as badly as he did for what Mike would face now that he had been caught.

"Well, I'm going to see Rachel. If you think you're going to stop me from seeing her, you've got another thing coming."

While Donna went to see Rachel, Harvey had finally been allowed to see his client.

"Robert Zane, really, Mike? I'm hurt," Harvey tried to lighten the air with ill-timed humor.

Mike was pacing back and forth. "Harvey this is real. Very real," Mike said as he eyed his mentor and friend.

Harvey said, "I know." He then took a seat and calmly reminded Mike that the burden of proof was on the prosecution not them. They had to see what kind of evidence could be brought forth to convince a jury he was guilty.

"I did this, Harvey."

"Mike, they know what we know. You're a practicing attorney; you are part of the bar and you are in the Harvard database."

Harvey soon left with his mind filled with what kind of method could be used to pull off a innocent verdict for a crime that had been consciously committed by the both of them.

The next morning, Harvey opened his condo door to see an immaculately dressed but pissed Donna at his door.

"Donna! What are you doing here?" Harvey exclaimed surprised and very happy to see her. _She is so beautiful. Even when she is pissed how I wish she were beside me when I went to sleep last night and here when I woke._

"I asked Gretchen where you were and she said you called in sick. That's bullshit! Harvey Specter does not get sick," she continued to talk as she walked through the door and stomped her way to his living room. She stopped at the kitchen counter.

"I can't be in the office right now," Harvey said as he took a water bottle from the refrigerator.

"Why not? You mean your abandoning Mike when he needs you?'

"No, I mean I can't. I had to resign so that Charles Forstman would stop supporting Daniel Hardman in his efforts to take over the firm."

"Mike needs you, though."

"I've seen Mike. I know."

"You've seen Mike?"

"Yes, but I need you to get something for me for his arraignment and bail hearing."

Donna with no pretense immediately turned around and left Harvey's apartment with her assignment fulfilling her mind so completely that she had not been prepared by Harvey's kiss before she totally left his place. She had come to put one arm around his neck and other around his shoulder meanwhile his arms snaked around her waist. They then both opened their arms and smiled. Then turning more slowly away from him, Donna left smiling at Harvey and he at her knowing that together they stood strong against the charges that were being brought against their mutual friend.


	10. Chapter 10

Together Forever (Sequel to You Know I Love You)

Chapter 10 -United Against An Enemy

Donna was beside herself. She was copying Mike's employment records as fast as she could. The last thing she needed was for Louis to come find her. He had already lectured her twice on not becoming involved personally. Stating that it was good that she no longer worked for Harvey and then she could not be implicated. With her eyes focused on the papers the machine spit out, she looked up to see a concerned Louis.

"What are you doing?" Louis said as he confiscated a paper and saw it as a part of Mike's employment records.

"Donna, I told you. You can't help right now as much as you want to." "Louis. This is Mike. We have to pull together to try to get him off or have the US ADA drop the case. Harvey needs me to do this for him."

"Donna, they will coerce you into making decision if they get into your personal life. I couldn't bear to see what they could do to you, " Louis emotionally admitted.

"I don't care," Donna said shaking her head and sorting more papers into file folders.

"Then I forbid you," Louis attempted in a commanding voice.

"You forbid me?" Donna looked at the ceiling. "Then fire me because I don't care."

She turned on her heel and left the room leaving a Louis who knew he had to make a sacrifice.

Donna came by Harvey's apartment later that day. He had been home most of the day. The only times he left were to see Mike and try to make a strategy, confront the US ADA Anita Gibbs, and then box a little while to get all the fury out of his blood before Donna's arrival.

Donna knocked and waited for Harvey to open the door. Donna had a key, of course, but being their relationship contained a question mark after their kiss the previous morning she felt a little to detached to use the key.

"Donna," Harvey said with relief. He noted how tired she looked. _Still beautiful but she could probably use some TLC._

"Harvey, I copied everything you asked for and other things that I thought would help," she said as she handed him an untabbed, unmarked legal size accordian folder.

"Thank you. I really need to dive into this," Harvey said flipping through the papers already. His eyes flickered to her face as she began to turn away from him.

"Hey, where are you going?" Harvey asked.

"I have to go home. I'm rather tired. I haven't slept well the last couple of nights," Donna said hoping against hope he was not going to ask her to have a drink with him. It was one of the few times in her life that being with Harvey was not uppermost in her mind.

"How about I put on a pot of coffee and you can help me wade through this. Just like old times," Harvey said softly.

Donna bit her lip and lowered her eyes. _Oh, Harvey, how that invitation sounds so good, but what does it mean? Do you want us to be back where we were earlier this year or do you just want me back to help you like the two friends or co employees we always have been? I look in those eyes and see your love, but is it romantic or just platonic again. God, I love you. How you torture me._

"Ok, Harvey. Don't make the coffee too strong or Louis will question the bags under my eyes tomorrow morning," Donna joked and ventured into the apartment.

"How is Louis taking things?" Harvey asked as he placed the papers with Mike's resignation letter on his kitchen counter.

"Well, he's concerned and he doesn't want me anywhere near you, right now."

"Isn't that your decision? I know what Louis means and I have to remind you that this Anita Gibbs is going to come at us at every angle. So we all have to stick together," Harvey said needlessly.

Donna sat on the other side of the kitchen counter and Harvey came around and placed on had on each arm. _Are you going to hold me? Do you want me to hold you?I look into your eyes and all I see is fury and determination to help Mike get exonerated from this crime that although you both committed I know you feel just as bad, if not worse, than Mike._ She moved her head a little and Harvey caught the look.

"Donna, I wouldn't ask you, so I will leave it up to you whether you want to be in or not while I fight this".

"I'm just wondering if this is all we're fighting for right now. We haven't talked since our dinner at Del Posto. Don't worry, Harvey, I'm in this just as much as you are. You can count on me as always," Donna said. _God, how I want to kiss him and all I want to do is stay and hold him and have him hold me. But we have to stay focused on Mike. I know that's where his mind is without him even having to say it_. So she let him release her and she walked slowly to the door.

"Donna," Harvey said in the singsong way he had when he needed her to understand. _Why can't I move? I want to hold you so badly and feel you physically here with me as my comfort_. _Mike has Rachel, and at one time I thought we had each other just like that but I have never been one to give comfort while I'm in work mode. I promise you, though. I will fight for us but I cannot think about that right now until Mike's situation is resolved for which I am to blame for that I know._

"Yes, Harvey," she acknowledged before opening the door. She turned her head and brushed a strand of hair out of the way to look at him while he spoke to her from where he stood seemingly miles away; though, just a few feet next to the kitchen bar.

"This won't be forever. I do still love you, you know," Harvey said trying to reassure her as he smirked attempting to lighten the somber atmosphere between them.

"It's ok, Harvey. You don't have to say that. I know," Donna said and then walked out the door closing it swiftly so he would not see her tears stream down her face.

Sitting her desk outside Louis' office the next day only exacerbated Donna's focus on Mike's situation and, therefore, on Harvey. Today Mike was going to be formally arraigned and Rachel had left a few minutes before hoping that Mike would be free of his own recognizance. Bail was bargained not to be posted if Anita Gibbs was assured that Mike would stay in town.

In the judge's chambers another war had broken out. However, the judge ruled in Harvey's favor so he was secure from being thrown off the case as Anita Gibbs had recommended. So the judge dismissed all three parties.

At the dismissal from the judge, Mike ran directly to Rachel's arms and she fairly jumped into his arms. After watching Mike envelope Rachel in his arms, Harvey came up behind them and said their first line of strategy was going on offense.

"What does that mean?" Rachel wondered.

"It means we make a list of everyone that knows Mike's secret and we question them and deduce who tipped Feds off and then see how much they have on him," Harvey explained. After explaining to Rachel what that meant, Harvey swiftly left the courtroom to return to the firm.

While Harvey was negotiating terms for Mike not to spend another night in jail, Donna had an epiphany of her own. She decided she needed to speak with Gretchen before her plan could come to fruition. Louis' reaction would border on Kindergarten variety but she had to do it.

Gretchen was at her desk typing away when she noticed Donna approach.

"What can I do for you? He's not back from court yet," Gretchen said looking at the tall redhead whom she knew had been or was still romantically tangled with her present boss.

"No, I know that, Gretchen. It was actually you I wanted to speak with."

"Sure. Pull up a chair. I've got to have this document finished by the time he comes back. Oh wait a minute you know he's not actually supposed to be in the office right now, right?"

"Gretchen, I know that you know about the Forstman bribe and yes I do know. Besides when you told me the other day that he was sick, I knew Harvey never gets sick; so I went to see him."

"Uh. Sounds like you're a lot closer than I understood," Gretchen said eyeing the beautiful redhead.

"It's a long story. Anyway that's exactly what I wanted to talk to you about."

Gretchen finished typing, saved her document, and then turned around in her chair to face Donna.

"Ok, Red, tell me what's on your mind."

"Would you be opposed to me coming back and working for Harvey at least during this rough time with Mike?"

"Where would I go?"

"To work for Louis," Donna said experimentally.

"Does Louis know yet?" Gretchen asked. She knew that Donna wanted to come back the minute she heard the kid had been arrested. Besides she had known all the happenings at PSL for years thanks to Norma.

"I want you to promise me something if I say yes," Gretchen said looking away and then eyeing Donna.

"What's that?"

"That you take care of that man who owns that office in there and that you both work like hell to keep that kid from going to jail."

"I promise, Gretchen. Thank you."

"Now all I have to do is tell Louis," Donna said to Gretchen.

Gretchen laughed and said, "Heaven help us."

Donna smiled for the first time since Mike had been arrested.


	11. Chapter 11

**Author's Note: I did not mean to misuse dialog from Suits Season 5 but I have Donna and Harvey together before this so the conversations between Harvey and Scottie and Harvey and Donna had to run a little different. I hope you enjoy this latest installment - Thk you!**

Together Forever (Sequel to You Know I Love You)

Chapter 11 - Together?

When Donna arrived back at her desk, she was surprised by finding a termination notice on her desk. _It looks like Louis beat me to the punch. I don't want us to part on bad terms._

Louis had come back to the office in a huff, donned his coat, picked up his briefcase and proceeded to ignore Donna as she called his name. She stepped onto the elevator containing him and one other partner. Donna held the notice in her hand but kept her mouth closed until she could get Louis alone.

The elevator pinged and the only other partner left the elevator car and turned right toward the parking lot under the building while Louis swiftly turned on his heel and tried to outstrip Donna while she called his name.

Donna, taller than Louis, still had to take two steps to his one as she was in her favorite Jimmy Choo stilettos.

"What is this?" Donna called to Louis as her voiced echoed through the cavernous marble lobby.

"You know what it is." Louis' voice now echoed through the lobby.

"You're firing me?" Donna exclaimed. "Is this because of the argument we had yesterday?"

Stopping abruptly and turning on his heel to face Donna, Louis exclaimed, "You make your own hours, you can't read people for shit, and you can't take dictation!"

Donna knowing that Louis was too hurt to tell the truth saw tears erupt in his eyes as he started to pout.

"You know Harvey and Mike need me now more than you do, don't you?"

Louis sniffed back his tears and said, "Yes, they do."

Turning away to exit the building, he said "I have to go."

Donna in the truest affection she had for Louis and the sacrifice he was making said, "No you don't." She grabbed him in a fierce hug and they just held each other close as the two friends they were. They both knew without words that defending Mike and proving he was innocent was promising to be an uphill battle.

"Goodnight, Donna," Louis said at last and turned swiftly out the door.

"Goodnight, Louis, " Donna rejoined watching him go.

Now she just needed to tell Harvey in no uncertain terms that she was coming back to him tomorrow. Whether he wanted her back the other way remained to be seen.

Harvey had spent the entire day trying to secure anyone who may have been responsible for letting it slip that Mike was a fraud. That meant encountering his ex-girlfriend, Dana Scott. He knew she would never say anything, but he promised Mike that he would ask her anyway.

Of course she was not pleased to see him because she knew exactly why he was there. Scottie's feelings of outrage were only more increased because recently she had heard that Donna and Harvey had become a couple outside the office as well.

"Well, I guess I'm not the only woman you're visiting today. By the way congratulations to Donna and you, I understand you finally got your head together about who you really love."

"Scottie, you know why I'm here and it has nothing to do with what happened between us."

"I swore to you that I would never tell anyone. What did you think that once I found out about you and Donna I would want to hurt you so badly by taking your best friend away?"

Harvey looked at his former girlfriend. _She's so different than Donna. She's not only physically different but mentally as well. We could never be happy. All Scottie ever wanted to do was compete with me. I know she's smarter than me especially after I taught her a few things, but I can't let her know that. She'd whip my ass! I can't help thinking of our friends with benefits arrangement we always enjoyed. I can't do that now even if I wanted, too. I love Donna too much. It's enough I betrayed her with Esther. That's not why I'm here eating my pride. For Mike's peace of mind that's why I'm here._

"Scottie, I told Mike you would never say anything, but I promised that I would come here and look you in the eye and ask," Harvey said in a more gentle tone of voice hoping to release some of the hostility in Scottie's body language and voice. Harvey still cared about her and did wonder about how she was doing. Before he and Donna had become a couple he had thought of contacting her again to salve her hurt after asking the favor of throwing a case last year for him as payment of a debt he owed Robert Zane.

"Well, it wasn't me."

"I never thought it was," Harvey said softly.

Scottie looked up at this man she had more or less known for half her life. She had fallen very hard for him. He had told her that he loved her, but not in so definitive terms. The statement was more like an afterthought and she was grouped in with others that he loved. That would never be enough to make her stay with him. It had to be definitive love or it was nothing at all. However, Scottie always knew one way or another that Harvey and Donna really belonged together. It was always those two who never knew it.

Scottie move forward and took Harvey's hand in hers.

"I would never say anything. I wish you and Donna every happiness in the world. You always loved her, didn't you? Even when we were together, right?" Scottie said instantly turning the tables away from Mike and that whole sore subject between them.

 _How to answer without hurting her? I guess I already did that by not choosing her. Women! Why didn't I just stay a womanizer? Because I fell in love with someone who was loyal and returned my love and asked nothing for herself. I also found I do not want to grow old alone. I miss you, Donna. I miss us._

"I guess I did Scottie. What difference does that make now? The outcome would have been the same and we would have done things and said things to each other that would make even a little encounter like this even more painful than it already is."

Scottie's answer was to kiss Harvey on the cheek and say, "Good luck with Mike's case." Then turning on her heel she walked up the flight of stairs that were in the lobby of the building that housed the firm where she worked.

When Harvey opened the door to his condo, he knew someone had arrived before he had. He walked to the living room part of the penthouse, placed his keys on the kitchen counter and was not sure whether he should smile or not at the occupant sitting on his couch with her beautiful long legs crossed sipping his Scotch.

"Well, I see it's still living," Donna said swirling her drink and pointing to the cactus she had given him over a year ago. The living area was dimly lit and there was a fire going in the fireplace.

"What did you think? I'd let it die," Harvey softly commented with a wisp of a smile in his eyes at seeing her. _I want her so much! We could just do it right here in front of the fireplace. I know that's not why she's here. She's probably still dating that Mitchell guy._

"Well, I thought you'd give it away, at least."

"I'm a little more sentimental than that," Harvey said truthfully. "What are you doing here, Donna? I thought we agreed that we had to focus on Mike and put us on hold."

"I'm here because of Mike," Donna said looking up at him as he had remained standing while she sat there with her legs not quite still and her hand swirling the Scotch she barely drank. Honestly, she was not much of hard liquor girl. She did not mind occasionally when she wanted to get drunk quickly or when she was sharing it out of friendship and love with Harvey.

"You need me," Donna said firmly. She almost waited to see the look on his face. She knew about his panic attacks and how much he missed her professionally. She was not sure personally since they had agreed to put their situation on hold until Mike's problem was solved.

Before he could say anything, Donna continued, "And as good as Gretchen is, she can't be involved in this."

Harvey's heart began to beat in his chest again as if it had stopped permanently after she left him. He smiled a little smile because he could not believe his ears.

"You mean you're coming back to me?" Harvey asked his voice almost faltering at the end of the question.

Donna looked up at him and her expression softened when she saw how much he really had missed her.

"Yes. I am."

Harvey smiled a little bit bigger. Not too much to really reveal his gladness but enough to know that he was happy. He knew now that together they could prevent Mike from going to prison. He had his Donna back.

"Good."

"Good," Donna said. Then realizing she had completed what she had wanted to accomplish she uncrossed her legs and placed her Scotch on the table. Before she rose to leave, Harvey shocked her by saying that he would see her in the office the next morning.

"How did you manage that?" Donna asked stopping midway in motioning to rise.

"I've got a little insurance policy called Mike Ross."

Donna dipped her eyes a little and then gathering her purse, standing up and straightening her skirt, said, "See you in the morning then."

Harvey reached out and caught her hand. He turned her around and kissed her sweetly on the lips.

"See you in the morning."

Donna's heart started to flutter in hopes that maybe, just maybe, them working together again would help them ease into the other areas where they should be together. _Oh Harvey, how I've missed you!_

He took her into his arms softly and looking deep into those green eyes, he asked, "How did Louis take it?"

"It was his idea."

He then just drew her to his chest and they hugged. Not as the old friends and companions they were but as lovers who had just rejoined after suffering something catastrophic but were taking things slowly.

Harvey buried his face in Donna's shoulder and whispered in her ear. "Someday."

Donna gathered him closer to her body and squeezed him tighter as a tear escaped from her eye.


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: Sorry I haven't updated for a while. I anticipate wrapping this one up soon with a twist. Also wanting to start on another idea running around in my head and another in my Series of Mr. and Mrs. Specter. Hope you enjoy and I thank the Aaron Korsh for allowing me and others to play with is character and how we want things to be...Carebearmaxi. Remember R &R**

You Know I Love You

Chapter 12 - Scottie and Soul Searching

So, Donna returned to Harvey as just his Girl Friday for the moment. In the coming weeks each almost tried to avoid each other in the midst of finding some evidence which could cause doubt in the jury's mind and proclaim Mike innocent. This everyone knew would be a hard line to tow considering that the charges of fraud were actually justifiable.

Mike worked just as diligently in his own defense as everyone else. Anita Gibbs did her best to divide and conquer even drumming up a false extrapolated charge on Donna's father for bank fraud. Luckily Harvey was able to extricate Donna's father from that situation knowing the history behind why Donna's father would be tempted to turn the route of bank fraud. He had to sacrifice the right of having Mike's charges being throw out to do it, but it was worth it. Besides it was what Mike wanted. Mike felt bad enough having involved his firm family but to involve anyone else increased Mike's unhappiness and misery.

Looking back on that brief conversation with Donna's father regarding how the investment Donna had requested on behalf of her father and the words Harvey had said to the broken man: "People who love other people don't put them in situations where they can break the law", Harvey felt he had become a hypocrite of his own doing having made Donna an accessory after the fact in his and Mike's crime of committing fraud.

Donna came to him the day she heard the good news that her father's charges were dropped.

"Thank you, Harvey."

"You're welcome. I should never have put you in this position," Harvey stated.

Donna who was walking out of his office returned and said, "Well if I wanted out of it I should have walked out many years ago. I didn't, so we're in this together." Donna walked up to Harvey's desk and put a hand over his.

At Anita Gibbs audacity to divide Mike from his family, Mike had had enough after how close Donna came to have to decide between her father and Harvey and now Rachel had been accosted and wooed to change her mind and cut a deal with Gibbs if she gave up Harvey. Rachel who could be more easilys swayed than Donna was almost trapped by the Gibbs' enticements of saying that she could arrange for Mike to attend law school as well and then they could be both be "real" lawyers. Luckily Rachel stood by her baser instincts and said that Gibbs could not persuade her to do the unthinkable.

"You have to get Scottie to investigate Anita Gibbs' sister. There has to be some way we can get her..."

"Whoa, you are not bringing Scottie into this!" Harvey said immediately standing and putting up a restraining hand.

"I know you don't want to bring her into this, but she's the only outside counsel who could help..."

"No!" Harvey stated emphatically.

Donna intervened at that point after Harvey harshly dismissed Mike and said, "You of all people should understand. She threatened the woman he loves."

"Well, now he's harrassing someone that I love," Harvey said and followed Mike out of the office.

Donna was stunned. _How foolish was I to think that I alone possessed Harvey's heart? First he has a one night stand with Esther and now, of course, he still loves Scottie. How does he love her? Does he love her like he says loves me?_

A couple of days later Donna thought she had her answer. It was late and she had been visiting the filing room for the umpteenth time that day looking for anything they could have missed in discovery. As she came down the wide corridor and approached her cubicle, she heard Harvey's voice.

"I just wanted to let you know that I've been seeing someone and I thought that maybe I could call you after all this is over." Harvey's voice was a bit skittish but clear.

The other voice, a woman's voice, whom Donna realized was Scottie said to him in return, "I've been seeing someone, too, after all we went through so I don't know where I'll be when I'm through. But it's always ok to call me."

 _I knew Scottie still had not forgotten him. I know I wanted them to be together at one time and if he still prefers her and it makes him happy then so be it, but he has to make a decision because I am not playing nursemaid again or come in second because she dumps all over him once again._

Donna turned back toward the file room and ran to hide so upon exiting no one would know she had overheard.

Two days before the end of short lived trial, Harvey decided that Mike had better defend himself. It was a bit late in the game to be changing lawyers but as Mike had so eloquently pointed out to the judge: "I've been here the whole time, Your Honor, acting in my own defense."

The judge had to allow it since it was not against the law to be your own lawyer. It was just odd because Mike and Harvey had fought so hard for Harvey to be the lawyer of record.

Mike had brought to the stand the mother of one of the people that Mike had helped during his time has a false attorney. Mrs. Banks was the mother of Clifford Banks whom Harvey had incarcerated falsely many years before while still an ADA. Harvey had found loopholes and evidence that allowed for Clifford's case to be reopened. Unfortunately, the only job the man could find upon exoneration was to be a dishwasher in a two bit restaurant on the bad side of town.

Mike had not known that the young man had been killed until he went to his house where he had still lived with his mother. Upon knowing what Mike needed, Mrs. Banks had willingly testified of Mike's character and what he had accomplished while an attorney.

Although she was eloquent and genuine in her testimony about how great and real Mike was as their attorney, Harvey and Mike had both retained some doubt themselves at the sympathy of the jury. After court was dismissed, Mike went home with Rachel thinking this may be one of the only nights they might still be together while Harvey did some soul searching of his own and found his way to Donna's apartment.

Luckily Donna had been spending much time alone lately. Between her relationship with Mitchell ending and Harvey wanting to take things slowly where their personal relationship was concerned, Donna spent much time catching up on her TV shows and checking Variety (New York version) for auditions and shows. At the moment with all hands on deck defending Mike, Donna's mind was on nothing but Mike plus its focus sometimes straying to the conversation she had witnessed between Harvey and Scottie.

Just as Donna was heading to bed, her doorbell rang. She looked at the clock on her bookshelf and it blared 11:30 pm. There was only one person who would rouse her this time of night. So she was not surprised when she saw a disheveled Harvey at her door.

"Harvey, it's late. What are you doing here?" Donna asked. _I know what he's doing here. He wants to give himself up and let Mike go free. He's wanted to do that since the beginning. That can happen. I can't be without him. I empathize with Rachel. She doesn't want to lose her guy any more than I want to lose mine...if he is still mine. I know this is the last thing we should discuss but if it comes up I need to know where I stand._

"I know you said I couldn't do this anymore, but I had to talk to you," Harvey said dressed in only his overcoat and suit with no tie and a pained expression of doubt and indecision in his beautiful dark brown eyes.

 _I can never say no to him. No matter what may be in his heart concerning Scottie._

She stood aside and let him enter.

"Do you want a drink?"

"Sure," Harvey said running a hand through his already mussed hair. He had removed his coat and place it on a chair and then proceeded to take a seat at her dining room table.

 _She's so beautiful. I don't know why I came here except I know she is the only one to hand me shit when I'm doing something stupid. She's also the only one I trust to tell her this from my heart. Well, here goes..._

Donna hands Harvey a tumbler full of Scotch. She strove to always have his favorite Macallan 18 on hand. She had poured a tumbler for herself figuring she would need the extra liquid courage to listen to what Harvey had to confess although she knew what it was before he even began speaking.

"Donna..."

"Before you even start, you don't have to do it. I think you should wait for the jury to come back with a verdict. Do you think that the verdict won't find Mike innocent?"

"I don't know, Donna. I can't take that chance."

"Answer me this, Harvey. Why are you coming to me? Last time you had a hard decision to make you went to Dr. Agard and not to me?"

"How do you know about her?" Harvey's head whipped around in her direction as they sat at the dining room table. He was shocked but should not have been that she had discovered his ongoing therapy sessions with the very pretty, competent female psychiatrist.

Donna sat on the chair at the opposite of the table with her knees curled up. One knee was curled under her and the other upwards which she held against her chest with clasped hands. An expression of worry and curiousity exuded from her dark green eyes.

"Is that important? I just do," Donna said.

"Because that was business and this is personal," Harvey explained huffily.

"No you came to me because she wouldn't try to talk you out of what you want to do, and you knew I would."

"Donna..." Harvey said confirming his thoughts that she knew every reason why he had come to her apartment at this late hour.

"Harvey, don't do what I know you want to do. You don't have to fall on sword. You don't have to be the hero again." Donna said with tears in her eyes.

Harvey stood up wondering why she thought he was trying to be a hero. He just wanted to do what he thought was right.

"I'm not doing it to be a hero. We may not win."

"Then why are you doing it!"

"Because it's my goddamn fault!" Harvey barely exclaimed. He could feel the burning of tears in his eyes. He would sacrifice himself for Mike because that was the right thing to do. _What was I thinking all those years ago? I should have known better. I should have offered to send him to law school instead of hiring him as a fraud. Then all this would have been moot. Who knows, though, maybe I would still be that free wheeling, non commital, unfeeling lawyer of which I have been accused. Would I have Donna? Could I find the courage to make her my lover and may be my wife one day? I have to do this. Mike should not have to pay for my mistake._

"It's not your fault, Harvey. Mike is just as much to blame as you are. Now you can go down to the court house in the morning and turn yourself in. But I don't want you to do that."

Harvey who had stood up and leaned over the chair in which he had sat raised his bowed head and asked, "Why not?"

"Because you and Mike are worthy of being found innocent and... I don't want to lose you," Donna said softly

Harvey turned to leave. He slowly picked up his coat and turned toward the door. Donna rose from her chair and accompanied him to the door.

As he turned back to look at her with those soulful dark eyes, Donna said, "I want you to go the courthouse in the morning and wait for that jury to come back. Let Mike know you have faith in him...like I have faith in you." Donna's last words came in a choke and she bowed her head.

Harvey turned around and thumbed the tear away. He came closer and put a hand experimentally on the side of her face. He bent down and kissed her on her tear salty lips.

 _I have missed you, Harvey. Missed your kiss._

"Harvey..." Donna said putting a hand up on his writst to prevent him from touching her further down.

"What? I love you, Donna. I need you," Harvey said holding her face in both hands and putting his forehead against hers.

"I love you, too, Harvey. So, so much, but my heart..." Donna said and pulling on his arm silently pulled him back inside. As the door of the apartment shut tightly, Harvey pulled her to him and kissed her again deeply.

Suddenly, Harvey's heart spilled its emotion aloud and he said between kisses and squeezes alighting the fire in Donna's body once again, "I have missed you, too, Donna. I miss you next to me in the night. I miss the banter and your smile when you think I'm being too egotistical. The way you put me in my place like no other. Mostly the way you love me without me realizing it. I am a stupid man when it comes to you but that is because I know you could do better than me for a lover, husband, boyfriend, lifelong mate...whatever you want me to be!"

In the middle of the kiss that both wanted to go deeper and their hands wanting to explore and rekindle the spots of love that were just beginning to be known to one another, Donna pulled out and opened her eyes.

"Harvey! We have to talk!"

"Donna. Not now. I have missed you so much..." Harvey said kissing her again and finding her pliant. However when his hands locked around her waist and kissed her ear and collarbone and then moved her cowl neck sweater away from her neck and Donna pulled away he knew that she needed to talk before they went much further.

"Harvey. I thought you wanted to focus on Mike." Donna said avoiding the real reason she stopped the wonderful tingly feeling Harvey's kiss and wondering hands had given life to again. She wanted nothing more than to make love to him but that one nagging thought remained in her head.

"What about Scottie?"

Harvey released her and took a step back looking rather perplexed at why Donna would broach the subject of his ex-girlfriend at that moment.

"Scottie? What about her?"

"How do you feel about her? You said the other day when Mike wanted to use her to get to Anita Gibbs you stated that now he was using someone that you loved. Do you still love her? Is our relationship based on what I hoped it was not based? Convenience and proximity? I had my rule and I wanted to be separated from you for just this reason."

"What? A test? A test to see if I could be faithful and loyal in the midst of my ex-girlfriend? Donna, are you jealous?"

"Maybe I am. First you sleep with Esther and then you a few weeks later you tell your ex that you wanted to call her after all this shit was over. What was I to you then? A commodity? Trying to keep your options open in the event that I don't let you fuck me when you were in the mood."

"Donna! No, that's not it! I don't know why I said that to Scottie. I'm done with taking you for granted."

A minute's pause while they looked at one another and the emotional upheaval that still had both their hearts beating faster. It dawned on Harvey that he still did not know if Donna was still available.

"What about Mitchell? Are you still with him? Did you not sleep with him? We were on a break!" Harvey's voice became definitively more sharp and loud as he fought with all his might that this night he did not lose the woman he loved above all others as well has his best friend.

"Yes, I slept with him. I tell you because I want no secrets between us if you want me to be with you again. Mitchell and I broke up because I love you too much to hurt him. Harvey, I hate to do this to you right before the jury's verdict comes in but do you love me like you loved Scottie or do you just want me to be convenient for you. Because I...play...second fiddle...to...no...one!" Donna punctuated the last sentence with long pauses between words before she bowed her head and hid the tears from Harvey while he stood there looking lost.

Harvey rolled his head and then pursed his mouth. _How do I make her see? That she is my sun in the morning and moon at night. That she is second fiddle to no one. I make love to her. I don't fuck her as she puts it. That's what I did to Esther. I would never take her for granted. I threw her away and that emptiness taught me that I would never do that again._

Suddenly, seeing her sit on the couch with her eyes streaming and her hands not quite still Harvey kneeled in front of her and seized her face with her hands and looking swiftly into her dark green depths he slammed his lips onto hers and suddenly nothing mattered anymore.

Harvey quickly removed his outer coat as Donna tugged at his clothing. Harvey managed to pull Donna's cowl neck over her head and discard it on the floor while they hurriedly kissed and touched thirstily drinking in what they had not had for a while with each other. They paused for only a second as Harvey shirtless with his trousers unzipped lifted Donna in his arms and carried her newlywed style into Donna's bedroom.

He could smell the scent of the lone vanilla candle burning on the top of her chest of drawers. The scent only increased his memories of her as he lay her down on the bed: the first time he met her, the first time she had made his coffee; the first time they had lain together in this very bed; all the years they had worked together and how grateful he had been only the year before that he saved her from prison. He kissed her and felt her tears at this reunion too long in coming and now, perhaps, too short in length as Harvey was still determined to do what Donna did not want him to do.

Donna in return followed Harvey down that path of memories as he kissed and touched her burning skin with his lips. Her breasts had never felt so large as when Harvey massaged them and administered to every part of her body. She, in turn, had never touched another man as she had touched him. Her hands were everywhere as she ran her hand between them under his boxers feeling his warmth and his readiness. She never wanted to touch a man like this either. She had but not with the same love and want that she did with Harvey. When he lay on top of her they turned over on her bed so as to have Harvey lay under her. She noticed the tiny flushed color of his skin and the swell of his lips.

"Listen, Specter, I love you. If you decide to leave me tomorrow, I will never forgive you." She punctuated her short sentence with a final tug on his trousers and then a quick stripping of his boxers where her reward stood erect, pulsating and waiting for her.

Breathlessly, Harvey beckoned for Donna to come to him and give him some release.

As Donna came to him and motioned to stride him, he turned the corners again and quickly removed her panties. He had situated himself between her widely open legs. He gave her a devilish grin and a kiss on her sex.

"I won't forgive myself," he responded and began to lubricate her already wet vaginal lips as she tugged on his hair and moaned.

They both were spiraling on this their physical reunion. Harvey finished licking her wet labia and rose to love her thoroughly and kissed away a tear that had landed between her considerable breasts.

"Ah..." Donna moaned writhing beneath Harvey positioning her hips anticipating his next move.

"Oooo," she breathed in as Harvey entered her. She grabbed the sheets tightly and gripped Harvey's hips between her thighs.

"Ah...," Harvey moaned as he almost came thrusting gently and swiftly looking into her eyes momentarily.

"Donna...uh...honey...," Harvey said. "Ah..." He eyes squeezed shut temporarily with his pleasure and he breathed in and eventually their rhythm caused Harvey to cum spectaularly spilling his seed into her.

Donna had cried his name aloud as she could no longer hold on herself and her body felt so flushed, warmed, and loved as it had not since the last time they had made love many months ago.

 _This feeling was what was missing when I slept with other men even when I had sex with Mitchell. This overflowing tide feeling of what heaven must be like._

Harvey collapsed finally coming to lay on top of Donna partially. He was still partially inside her warmth and was reluctant to leave. He lay his head beside hers and forced her eyes to look at him. When she turned her head slightly to look at him, Harvey saw a look of such sublime love that Harvey could not help kiss her again. He felt a few tears himself. He knew he was home

 _I love you, Donna. Please know this. I never felt like this with any other woman. Only you._

"Only you," Harvey whispered into Donna's neck as he held her tightly.

Donna smiled through happy tears feeling euphoric pulling Harvey on top of her again and feeling his member start to harden again. However, the little nag in the back of her mind whispering Scottie's name had still not disappeared even with the fierceness and thoroughness of their lovemaking. She quickly dismissed her feeling of insecurity as she felt again Harvey's desire began to make him move ever so slightly within her. She could feel him grip her more swiftly and tightly whispering those words over and over again.

Her answer was to speak into his hair and say "Only you, too."


	13. Chapter 13

You Know I Love You

Chapter 13 - Deals

Harvey lay next to Donna who slept. In the dim candlelight of Donna's bedroom, he could see through the darkness the red digital numbers of her alarm clock. Three am glowed and through the haze of Harvey's stinging eyes he looked at Donna who soundly slept next to him. He lifted his hand and gently brushed her hair away from her face. He kissed her softly on the forehead and then slipped out of her bed.

Donna awoke at the sound of the alarm. _Six a.m. already?_ With eyes closed she smacked it off, and with her other hand she reached out to the other side of the bed only to find it cold and empty.

"Harvey? Harvey..." Donna called. _I knew it! Of course he left in the middle of the night. I thought for sure last night when he came back to me that he would be here in the morning. He was always ready in the morning for little canoodling before we venture to the office._

Suddenly, instinct told her that he leaving this time was not because he had returned to his old ways.

 _Oh my! I know why he left. He's went home to get dressed to cut himself a deal with Anita Gibbs before the jury comes back with a verdict! Despite what I told him and what I urged him not to do! I've got to get to him before he gets to Anita Gibbs!_

Donna hurriedly rose, took a shower, and dressed. In the midst of dressing her phone rang.

"Hello," Donna said dreading who might be on the other end of the line.

"Don..It's Rachel," Rachel said "We got notified late last night that the jury came to a verdict. We have until 9:30 before they reassemble in the courtroom."

"I'll be right there, Rache," Donna said.

Before she hung up, she asked, "How's Mike?'

"To tell you the truth, I'm not sure. I haven't seen him since he left for the almost two hours ago. It's just about 7:00 now."

"I'll be there in a few minutes." Donna stated to Rachel in no uncertain terms and left her apartment and hailed the first cab which came her way.

Harvey, in the meantime, was dressed in his best black suit and had received an early morning call from Mike stating that the jury came to a verdict. He thanked him and told him to be calm and that he would meet him there by the time the jury came back to the courtroom.

 _Well, I'm going to preempt that verdict if I can. I'm sorry, Donna. I can't let Mike do this to he and Rachel's future. I love you and it is hurting me to know this will hurt you. However I must do this. Despite your brave words and the love you've always shown me and especially last night. I wanted so much to be there when you awoke and lay there and just hold you in my arms. But I can't be happy knowing that Mike may not have the time to be with the woman he loves._

Harvey's decision crystallised to his current conclusion the minute he walked back into Donna's apartment. The minute he kissed her and carried her to bed Harvey felt so selfish knowing that Mike may not be able to enjoy his life with Rachel due to him. Harvey knew that Donna may come to hate him because of this decision, but Harvey had made his peace with it and he knew, in time, Donna would forgive Harvey for forfeiting their life for Mike and Rachel's.

Prior to Mike's phone call, Harvey contacted Anita Gibbs at an ungodly hour and asked to see her in her office at 8:00 am. The jury had come to a verdict at 8:30 pm the previous night, but the jury would not assemble in the court until 9:30 am. Harvey knew from experience that the judge hearing Mike's case had her own difficult time with serving nine to five work hours set in history. Harvey liked to know all about the judges who may hear a case he is trying. In this case, this judge had a handicapped husband at home and had to wait until the day nurse arrived to care for him.

As Harvey examined himself in the mirror, he smile briefly at the one beautiful memory he would carry to prison while he served out the deal he was going to make with Anita Gibbs. She would likely throw the book at him since he was not only a practicing attorney well aware of the legal consequences of breaking the law, but also that he was a grownup who should have known better than to hire a fraud and hurt not only himself but his firm and all his clients that Harvey did actually care for. Especially to Donna as his actions would almost surely feel like the ultimate betrayal and complete desertion. Although Harvey felt they had truly reconciled last night, she would definitely be hurt the most since they had said and promised so many things whether aloud or not.

 _I want to spend the rest of my life with you, Donna, just like I told you last night. However, my life will be too short for that now. When I come out of prison, we'll both be too old to have what we may have had had I not wasted so much precious time. I won't ask you to wait for me. I know I was stupid not to notice the only woman for me...my soulmate as they say so many years ago. I don't regret having the fun I had but when I realized that I could have been building a life with you instead of sleeping with a different woman every night and using Scottie to satisfy my appetite for the real thing , I think how stupid I was to waste what we have together. Also I was stupid to sleep with Louis' sister. However, Esther was beautiful and completely available, but through that experience I realized how much I missed you. Not just as my secretary but my girlfriend._

 _Goddamn it, Donna. I hope you can understand that it's my goddman fault and it is up to me to get us all out of it. Please understand._

Harvey had written most of his feelings in a letter addressed to Donna with the ring he had purchased with the intention of asking her to be his wife when she was ready to take him back. However since he felt that Mike's verdict was heading south Harvey's proposal of marriage to his own love would have to wait. If the deal was going to put Harvey in prison for a long time, he would say farewell to Donna and make her forget him. Harvey had paid a fortune for travel and living arrangements for Donna to go to Los Angeles immediately after they said their final goodbye. Donna was not to return to Pearson Specter Litt to wait interminably for him to finish his prison term. Harvey had wanted her to test her acting chops in that scene where he knew with Donna's beauty, brains, and talent she would go far. Although she was older than most of the ingenues who went to Hollywood looking to become an actress there would always be a place for a savvy, smart, beautiful redhead.

Harvey adjusted his tie and smiled at how Donna was always fixing his tie to completely ensure that he looked suave and sophisticated many more times than he felt. When they were preparing to go to another boring client's cocktail party, Donna grinned at him after straightening his tie and patting his hair down apeing Billy Crystal's Fernando: "It's more important to look mahbelous than to feel mahbelous." Harvey smiled at that memory and proceeded to walk out of his apartment for the last time and get into his big black Lexus with Ray behind the wheel...one more time.

Meanwhile Donna's cab stopped at the courthouse. As she was alighting from the cab, Rachel stood there near to tears.

"Rachel, what's going on?" Donna asked noting how sad her friend was. "Did the jury come back this soon?"

"No. It's Mike," Rachel said trying to halt the flood of tears that came so easily nowadays. "Mike left very early this morning without real reason. I think he's on his way to Anita Gibb's office to cut a deal. I told him to have faith in the jury. He was pretty magnificent in there I thought. I don't know what to do."

Donna reached out and held Rachel by her two upper arms and said, "What a coincidence. Harvey came to me last night wanting to do the same thing. I thought I had talked him out of it, but he left in the middle of the night and I can't reach him on his cell. However I told myself if he did cut a deal that I would forgive him and stick with him... because I love him." Donna swiped impatiently at an escaping tear.

"Well, you're a better woman than I am, Donna. Because if Mike is doing what I think he's doing, I'm not sure I can forgive him."

Donna looked momentarily at the sky and then said, "Let's say we find Anita Gibbs and I guarantee you we'll find the men," Donna said as they turned around and ventured into the thickening crowd bursting through the courthouse doors.

"Mr. Specter," Anita Gibbs said in a smug manner. "I can't imagine why you want to have this meeting. You do know the jury came to a verdict."

"Well, Ms. Gibbs, let's put it this way. I don't care what the verdict is. Mike Ross is not serving prison time."

"Are you so certain that the jury will come back with a guilty verdict?" Ms. Gibbs took a seat behind her desk while she examined the hotshot lawyer sitting across from her. She had read all about Harvey Specter and his reputation for negotiating and closing deals. She had read all about his prowess as an ADA and his conviction record and then suddenly how he had returned to the firm that birthed him climbing the corporate ladder to become one of the most powerful and wealthy corporate lawyers.

To Anita Gibbs, a lawyer as young as Harvey to have advanced that quickly from mailroom boy to name partner must have wound the law illegally or at least bent the hell out of it. So when she got wind that Mike Ross was a fraud and that he worked for Harvey Specter, Anita Gibbs' dream of sending a crooked lawyer who barely stayed inbounds with the law to prison for actually breaking the law was an opportunity to good for her to let pass by.

"So what do you want?"

"I want to take the hit. I'll confess to hiring a fraud and you let Mike go free and cause no impediment for him to return to his practicing law. You've talked to him. That kid became a lawyer because he genuinely cares for people. I can't say I was ever that much of a bleeding heart. Mike is genuinely good and doesn't deserve to be put into any prison even a minimum security one."

"Well, ok, that sounds more like it. I'll give you ten years for your confession."

"Ten years? Really, Ms. Gibbs, isn't that a little excessive."

Suddenly the door burst open, Mike stood in the doorway.

"Harvey! Whatever you're doing, don't! It's not fair!" Mike exclaimed closing the door firmly as he walked to the two steps to where his best friend and mentor sat.

"Mike. It's fair for me to do this. It's me she really wants."

"Why? Because you gave somebody a break? Ms. Gibbs, I know what you think about Harvey. This man is not what his reputation proclaims him to be..."

"Oh, really." Anita Gibbs sat intrigued by Harvey's little minion's defense.

"No. He is a good man and he has a heart. He doesn't deserve whatever you want to throw at him. He made a mistake just like I made a mistake."

"Is this your confession, Mr. Ross?" Anita said rising as there was some crazy knocking on her door.

"I'm not confessing to anything and neither is he.."

"Mike!" Harvey exclaimed

As she walked to the door, she noticed Mike Ross's fiancee and Harvey Specter's secretary standing there looking like their worlds had just fallen down on their heads.

"Well, this is becoming old home week. Ms. Paulsen, Ms. Zane won't you come in and join the party?" She shut the door as the two women walked in and came to stand behind their respective men.

Donna stood behind Harvey's chair and placed a hand on his shoulder. He turned his head and looked up at her and answered her smile with his own relieved and grateful smile. _I thought I wouldn't want her here. I am so glad she is._

Rachel came and stood next to where Mike stood. He put his arm around her. They both had noticed how Donna's hand slipped so comfortably to Harvey's shoulder and how lovingly they smiled at each other. They definitely did not miss Harvey's grateful and loving expression as he acknowledged Donna's presence by patting her hand which had come to lie on his shoulder. Mike and Rachel smiled at one another. They knew that they must have reconciled completely. They both thought _good for them_.

Just as Anita Gibbs was taking her seat behind her desk the bailiff from the court knocked at her office door and opened it.

"Ms. Gibbs, the jury is back. We don't have much time. You know how the judge gets when people are late to her court."

"Yes, Pillman, thank you. I know. Well, I'd say we've run out of time for our little tete-a-tete; so let's just see what the jury says," Anita Gibbs said a little smugly because she was sure that the jury was coming back with a verdict in her favor.


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N: Ok, Darvey readers this fic is on the homestretch. Just one more chapter after this. They will be short but hit at your heart. Grateful thanks to Aaron Korsh and the bunch who gave us these wonderful characters and allows us to use them in our own stories. R &R if you feel like it! **

You Know I Love You

Chapter 14

The jury shuffled into the courtroom. Mike, Rachel, Harvey, Donna, Jessica, and Louis all waited impatiently for the reading of the verdict. Time seemed to be in slow motion. The judge looked austere and very serious when asking the foremen of the jury to stand.

"Have you reached a verdict?" The judge asked. Every word seemed to drag from her mouth.

"Yes, your Honor, we have," the foreman of the jury said just as slowly. He was a man in his early 50's and probably an every day sort of businessman like a mechanic or a technical repairman.

"Please read your verdict," the judge stated.

"Your honor, we find the defendent on the charge of conspiracy to commit fraud-NOT guilty."

Time suddenly sped up. The powder keg exploded. Suddenly, it was like one could breathe again. The relief in the courtroom was palpable and the cheers were at once silenced by the bang of the judge's gavel.

"Upon the hearing of the verdict, the jury is free to go. Your country thanks you for your service."

"Mr. Ross, you have been found not guilty of the conspiracy to commit fraud. You are free to go."

The judge banged her gavel twice and stated obviously, "Court is adjourned."

Mike's Pearson Specter Litt family joined he and Rachel outside the courtroom.

Harvey and Mike were speechless and just shook each other's hands. Donna hugged him, then Louis, and even Jessica (not a hugger) shook hands with the young man who had caused so much rift in her firm's house. However, at the same time, she never could not acknowledge how talented he was despite not having a law degree.

"Let's go celebrate!" Donna volunteered very glad that both her boyfriend and her friend need not go to prison.

"We should at least go get a drink," Harvey suggested.

"Harvey, it's 11:00 am," Jessica said looking at her watch.

"Hey, it's time for celebration regardless of what time it is," Harvey retorted looking at Donna. She had given him a funny look where she was not quite sure where he had come from.

"Ok, but just this once," Jessica acquiesced.

In different vehicles all six friends rode to an exquisite upscale restaurant that had just opened for lunch. They took one of the tables out in the balcony. The outside air had been chilly and the sky full of clouds earlier; however, to accommodate the relieved and joyous mood of the PSL family the sky cleared to a beautiful blue and the sun shone brightly warming the surfaces and the people who sat at the table celebrating that their wish had come true.

"To Mike," they all raised their glasses and toasted happily.

"To the US Justice System," said Mike as he raised his glass.

After the toast individual conversations took place and Harvey tackled Mike about what he was planning next.

"You know now that the jury found you not guilty. You can go on practicing and no one can try you again for it," Harvey said.

"No, the resignation letter I gave you is firm. I need to stop whether I am a fraud or not. However, it may allow me the chance to go to law school and take the bar in my own name. Then I can live up to that Junior Partnership."

Harvey looked seriously at the young man. "You earned that position and there are so many associates not half as smart as you that practice law everyday. If I had it my way, I would gladly trade you for them."

"If you had it your way, you'd trade Louis for one of them," Mike laughed and then stopped as Louis stopped his animated conversation with Donna when he heard his name.

"There'd be a lot less violence in the office," Harvey said showing a boxer's stance.

Turning the conversation away again, Mike shied away from Harvey's look. "Thanks, Harvey. That means a lot to me."

Harvey and Mike discussed Mike and Rachel's wedding plans now that he was in the clear.

"I still don't want a big wedding. There are still people that Rachel's parents know that can surmise I never went to Harvard or any law school."

"So what are you going to do?" Harvey asked.

"I'm sure Rachel and I can dodge that bullet somehow."

All six people finished their celebratory lunch and returned to the office. The firm was very quiet and there were only a handful of people milling about. Jessica, Harvey, and Louis as name partners knew of a few partners who jumped ship. They did not want to be associated with the firm since Mike had been carried off to jail as a fraud.

Jessica walked directly to her office to contemplate the resignations she had received and calculate the amount of clients and income she would lose upon their departure. Regretfully but fairly, one of the by-laws that she had dictated to Louis when he wrote them was that any name partner found guilty of a crime enabled any senior partner to leave, waive his non-compete, and take his clients with him. None of them had been declared guilty of knowing that Mike was really a fraud and he was found innocent so it was possible that the resignations could be accepted but only at the cost of the partner's clients.

Louis arrived back and sat at his desk clearly resuming the day he started a few hours ago without threat of change.

Rachel and Mike were in his office dismantling it in the relief that Mike no longer had to pretend.

This left Donna and Harvey to their own devices. Harvey took Donna's hand as he led her into his office. He shut the door behind her. Today had been too real for him, for both of them.


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N: Here is the last chapter. Thank you to those who have enjoyed this and those who have left reviews. I do enjoy writing these. Please R &R if you want. I love hearing from you - Carebearmaxi**

You Know I Love You

Chapter 15 - Finally Love

Donna walked over to Harvey's desk and placed an object on it.

Harvey turned around and before going behind his desk he walked to Donna. He turned her around in his arms and kissed her deeply. They then hugged and both sighed deeply. _I did not think I would ever hold you again._

Donna held Harvey tight. She was glad they were alone and there were very few people in Harvey's corner of the office. The partner who occupied the office adjacent to Harvey's had been one of the first to resign after the scandal broke. His secretary whose cubicle was next to Donna's had been persuaded to resign as well. She knew she would be gone if her boss was gone. Donna had never known her very well, but at the moment the emptiness allowed Harvey's corner of the 50th floor the most quiet and deserted.

Harvey finally released her and holding her at arms' length looked into her eyes and tried to read the odd expression.

"Donna? What's wrong?" Harvey asked.

Donna retrieved the envelope she had laid on his desk only a few minutes before.

"Harvey, I woke up and found you gone. I knew what you were planning to do despite what I urged you not to do."

"Donna, it doesn't matter now. I'm not going anywhere."

"Did you mean all those things you said in here and do you really want me to wear this..now? Or was this a last ditch effort for me to forget you because the deal you were going to make with Anita Gibbs would put you away for a long, long time!"

Donna eyes were full of tears now. She cried tears of anger, joy, relief, and possessed a heart and head full of questions.

"Harvey, tell me," Donna said softly taking a seat on the couch.

 _You've done it now, Specter. She's hurt and she's upset. What was I thinking? Giving her an engagement ring when I knew I may not be coming out of prison to marry her? What a promise that was. Of course, she would not go to LA like I would want her to. Donna is Donna. She does what she wants when she wants. She is no possession of any man. Let alone me._

"Donna," Harvey said as he came over to the couch. He took the ring and the letter from her trembling hands and placed them on the table before them. He took both her hands in his and massaged her knuckles with his thumb.

 _Don't patronize me now, Harvey. I said to Rachel that I would have forgiven you had your deal with Anita Gibbs come to fruition. However, I would never have left here. You actually wanted me not to return to PSL. How could I have done that? I would want to be near you. Besides your apartment, your clothes, and yourself, this office screams I am Harvey Specter._

"Harvey, I just have one question."

"Why?" Harvey preempted Donna's question.

"Yes, why? Why would you pay for me to live in LA? Why give me this beautiful ring and tell me what you were planning to do? You actually forbade me to coming back here to work. Actually I probably wouldn't want to without you here, but why?"

"I didn't want to hold you back any longer. I would not be here, so there would be no reason for you to work here. Your family is in Connecticut and you always wanted to see how you would fare in Hollywood. You're beautiful, talented, and I have held on to you without giving anything in return for far too long. So I figured if I was going to be in prison a long time, this would be my thank you to you for sticking by me in the bad times, celebrating with me in the good times, and just loving me all the time."

"Oh, Harvey," Donna drew him into her arms and squeezed him tight as her tears ran down her cheeks and onto his neck. She could feel him grasp her tighter.

She released him only long enough to say her peace. She stroked the side of his face feeling where he missed shaving and she motioned for him to look at her and see her maybe for the very first time.

"I have been in love with you for half my life. You made me the happiest woman in the world when you acknowledged you loved me. I would always want to be near you. Hell I would have moved back to Connecticut just to be near you. You could never get rid of me...again." She took his face in both of her hands and kissed him long on his lips.

Harvey then held her as if he would never let her go. Now that he had been reprieved, he would not ever let her go.

"Hey," Harvey said as they pulled out of their embrace. He took the ring which lie on the table. It was a beautiful Princess cut three carat diamond with two little birthstones of his on one side of the Tiffany setting and two little birthstones of hers on the other. Harvey's birthday was in January so the two little red garnets on the left side looked almost black in the unlit office and Donna's tiny blue sapphire stones for December sitting on the right side caught the sunlight streaming in from the large unblinded window.

"Hey," Donna said in a peaceful relieved tone and then saw what he was intending.

Harvey bent down on one knee and said, "Well, I have seen real love between Mike and Rachel and I had always thought because of my mother I never really thought it could exist or that it was for me. However, I was wrong and I have been wrong for the last 12 years. So, Ms. Paulsen, would you please do me the honor of becoming my wife because I now know love and I don't want to waste another minute without it."

Harvey placed the ring on Donna's finger.

"Yes, yes, I will become your wife. I have to say I have been waiting twelve years for you to mature enough to ask me," Donna said not allowing Harvey to come to his feet without taking her with him as they kissed.

"Yes! Double wedding, yessir! It's about damn time!" Mike said as he, Rachel, and Louis had gone looking for the missing pair and had heard Harvey's eloquent proposal as they approached.

"Oh, Donna!" Rachel said wiping away a tear of her own. She came fully into the room and hugged her best friend and examined the beautiful ring Harvey had just placed on her hand.

Harvey took this as his cue to have his hand shaken by Mike and they clasped each other in a hug. Louis was next in line and as he shook Harvey's hand he was heard to say.

"Does this mean I get Donna back as my secretary?"

They all laughed.


End file.
